Saturday

Police FC 0 - 1 Vita Club de Mokanda

Police FC head coach Andre Cassa Mbungo has said that he will never forget Saturday, March 19, 2016, the day he saw his side eliminated from the CAF Confederation Cup by Vita Club Mokanda of Congo Brazzaville at Kigali Regional Stadium.

Mbungo was furious with his players after the Rwandan side exited from Africa’s second biggest club competition. The Peace Cup winners were eliminated after a 1-0 goal aggregate.

Hopes of Police making history were broken by Mathias Osagatsama, who scored the lone goal in the 80th minute to send the Congolese side into the second qualification round.

After a goalless draw in the first leg, Police needed a score to advance to the next stage but it was not to be as the Congolese side made the most advantage to end Police’s hopes.

"We were not aggressive enough; we played like we don’t want. We need to work hard and improve. We had so many chances and should have scored, but we were very poor in-front of the goal, I will never forget this game in my 30 years of coaching,” a visibly disappointed Mbungo said.

Former AS Kigali head coach noted: "It is very bad and disappointing result. Today, we played without the usual determination and character of winning. It’s not so often that you get such chances, and we’ve squandered it, but we can look forward and prepare for the national league.”

The home side created goal scoring chances and could have won easily, had it not been for the wastefulness of Rachid Kalisa, Gabriel Mugabo, Innocent Habyarimana, Dany Usnegimana and Songa Isaie.

Vita Club Mokanda had two goals ruled out for offside as they relied on quick counterattacks.

As the game seemed destined for penalties to decide the winner, Mokanda’s Osagatsama benefitted from some poor defending by Police to strike past goalkeeper Marcel Nzaroroa.

Vita Club Mokanda will now face Angola’s Sagrada Esperança who edged Mozambique’s Liga Desportiva de Maputo 1-0 on Saturday.

It was a bad day for all Rwandan clubs after APR FC also failed to reach the second qualification round following a 3-2 aggregate loss to Young Africans (Yanga SC).

The national league champions held their Tanzanian counterparts to a 1-1 draw but it wasn’t enough following last week’s 2-1 home defeat in the first leg.

Midfielder Fiston Nkezingabo gave the Rwandan league champions the lead in the 15th minute before Donald Ngoma equalized for the hosts in the 28th minute.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw