Thursday

Rwanda 1-1 Sudan (pen 4-2)Uganda 0-0 Ethiopia (pen 5-3)

Amavubi Stars head coach Johnny McKinstry has praised his players after the national football team beat Sudan 4-2 in post-match penalty kicks at the 2015 CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup in yesterday’s first semi-final match at the Addis Ababa National Stadium, Ethiopia.

Rwanda will now meet their biggest nemesis Uganda in Saturday’s final after the record 13-time winners defeated hosts Ethiopia, also on spot kicks 5-3 following a scoreless 120 minutes.

In the first semi-final, after a goalless normal time, the match went into extra time and it was Sudan who took the lead in the 97th minute through Atahir El Tahir before Jean Baptiste Mugiraneza equalised for the Amavubi in the 110th minute.

Both teams finished the game with 10 men, with Sudan playing 100 minutes a man less.

Rwanda’s goal came from a clever pass from skipper Haruna Niyonzima. Rwanda netted all four penalties through Niyonzima, Jacques Tuyisenge, Djihad Bizimana and Ernest Sugira, while Sudan scored through Ibrahim Ahmad Hassan and Mohammed Tahir Osman.

Rwanda’s custodian Eric ‘Bakame’ Ndayishimye continued his impressive form, becoming the hero again by saving Atahir El Tahir’s penalty, while Mazin Elfalah Ahmed fired wide for the Sudanese, allowing Sugira the opportunity to win it for Rwanda.

Speaking to SuperSport after the match, McKinstry said: "I am glad to reach the final and we will go into the game Saturday with the purpose of winning. It was an intense match, we missed chances against ten men but we are glad that we have got to the final.”

McKinstry said the final will be very difficult but added that his team will be ready to battle for the title that Rwanda last won 16 years ago.

"Sudan are a very tricky team and they are tough to beat, we knew it was going to be difficult but thanks to the determination and commitment of my team we’ve managed to get through to the final, the players gave their best to win the match, so credit to them” added McKinstry.

Amavubi played for 100 minutes against 10 men after striker Bakri Osman Idriss was shown a straight red card by Djiboutian referee Abdi Djamal Aden for hitting Amavubi midfielder Yussuf Habimana in an off the ball incident.

With a minute left and sensing that the match was destined for penalties, McKinstry brought on Isaie Songa for Jean Claude Iranzi but the Police FC striker was sent off just seconds of coming on for elbowing Sudan’s Mogahed Abdalla.

McKinstry’s side had also reached the semi-final after overcoming Kenya 5-3 on penalties after both sides drew 0-0 earlier in the week.

The Uganda Cranes are seen as the favourites going into Saturday’s final, having beaten the Amavubi on all the three previous meetings in the final – in 2001, 2003 and 2009.

Rwanda were also in the final of the 2005 edition but lost to Ethiopia before again losing to Sudan in another final two years later.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw