Rayon Sports have cruised to the first round of 2017 CAF Confederation Cup after beating South Sudan’s Al Wau Salaam 2-0 in the return leg of the preliminary round on Sunday at Kigali’s Amahoro National Stadium.
Sunday
Rayon Sport 2-0 El Wau Salaam (*Aggregate 6-0)
Rayon Sports have cruised to the first round of 2017 CAF Confederation Cup after beating South Sudan’s Al Wau Salaam 2-0 in the return leg of the preliminary round on Sunday at Kigali’s Amahoro National Stadium.
Two goals from last season’s Player of Year Pierrot Kwizera and Malian striker Mousa Camara saw ten-man Rayon progress to the next stage – on an aggregate score of 6-0.
The Peace Cup holders went into yesterday’s game as clear favourites to reach the next round following their 4-0 away win in the first leg in Juba a week earlier.
However, head coach Djuma Masudi had warned his players not to take the game for granted.
Kwizera scored a stunning free-kick from 35 yards in the 26th minute before Camara doubled their lead through a header nine minutes to stoppage time to see off Al Wau Salaam.
Backed by their home fans, Rayon Sports dominated the game and had an early chance to break the deadlock in the 17th minute after an excellent counter attack involving Camara and Shassir Nahimana, with the Malian forward sending his effort a few inches above the woodwork.
Two minutes later the home side had their defender Ange Mutsizi shown a direct red card by Ethiopian referee Haileyesus Bazezew Balete after hitting Wau Salaam’s Gasper Ayom in the face.
But Masudi Djuma’s side continued to pile pressure on the South Sudanese and finally found the back of the net seven minutes later through Kwizera.
In the second half, Rayon maintained the same pace and could have scored more goals with Camara missing several chances before scoring a header in the 81st minute.
Rayon Sports will next head to Mali to take on Onze Creatures in the first qualification round first leg on the weekend of March 10-12 before hosting the second leg the following weekend.
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