Today

Group C

Azam FC vs Adama City 12pmKCCA vs Al Malakia 3pm

Yesterday

Group A

Gor Mahia 1-1 Al KhartoumYanga *-* KMKM

APR goalkeeper Jean Claude Ndoli conceded the first goal in 270 minutes of football at the ongoing CECAFA Kagame Cup in the 2-1 win over Lydia Ludic Academy of Burundi in their final Group B match on Thursday at the National Stadium in Dar e Salaam.

Stand-in captain Ndoli was one of the only four players to retain their place in the starting eleven against the champions of Burundi from the team that played the first two matches and won against Al Ahly Shendi from Sudan and Somalia’s Heegan FC. The others were Michel Rusheshangoga, Bernabe Mubumbyi and Abdul Rwatubyaye.

The win sealed APR’s place as group leader with maximum nine points and will next face, in the quarter-final on Tuesday, the team that finishes third in Group A that consists of l Khartoum of Sudan, Gor Mahia (Kenya) hosts Yanga, KMKM from Zanzibar and Djibouti Telecom.

According to APR head coach Dusan Dule Sulgajic, Ndoli kept his place and also captained the team against LLB because he needs to play in more games as he builds up his match fitness since he missed almost a year of playing with a knee injury.

As for the player himself, he says, "I am just happy to play as many matches as possible, and to keep clean sheets. But most importantly to help the team to win matches.”

"For a player, it is very frustrating being on the sidelines injured and you are in a situation where you can’t help your team, so the fact that I am here helping the team to reach the quarter-finals (of Kagame Cup), is a wonderful feeling, I have worked hard to be in this position once again,” the Amavubi first choice keeper explained in an interview with Saturday Sport.

The 28-year old Ndoli suffered a serious knee injury while on international duty with Amavubi Stars against Congo Brazzaville during the AFCON 2015 second round, first leg qualifier on July 20, 2014.

After undergoing surgery in Algeria thanks to a partnership between FERWAFA and the Algerian FA, it took him ten months of working his way back to the top and regain his place as the first pick for both club and country.

Now free from any injury scare, the former Police FC man wants to win the Kagame Cup as consolation for the year he spent on the sidelines.

He says, "We have reached a decisive stage, the quarter-final, every team is hard to beat, which is why we need to work harder, each player must give their best if we are to succeed here and return to Kigali with the trophy.”

If APR win this year’s edition, having reached and lost the last two finals in Darfur and Kigali respectively, it will be their fourth regional title and the first away from home.

With four days until they play their quarter-final game, APR players had a light work-out on the beach yesterday, a day after coming from behind to beat LLB 2-1 thanks to goals from Patrick Sibomana (penalty) and second half substitute Issa Bigirimana. Abdoul Aziz Nahimana scored for LLB, who are now out of the competition.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw