Friday

Rayon Sports 3-0 Costa Do Sol

A brace from Hussein ‘Tchabalala’ Shabani and another goal from Kevin Muhire were enough to secure an emphatic first leg win for Rayon Sports against Mozambican side CD Costa Do Sol in final qualification round of 2018 CAF Confederation Cup on Friday evening at Kigali Stadium.

Burundi international Shabani scored the opening goal in the 45th minute through a spot kick after defender Chawanangwa Kaonga touched the ball in the area, for which he also received a yellow card.  

Rwanda international Muhire came from the bench – for Djabel Manishimwe – to extend the home side’s advantage with a cool finish in 79th minute, before Tchabalala doubled his tally on the night with a powerful shot five minutes later, with super sub Muhire the provider.

Ivan Minnaert’s team continued to press forward in search for more goals but the visitors team stood firm, thwarting Tchabalala, Muhire and other Rayon players on several occasions.

Costa do Sol goalkeeper Jose Ventura Guirrugo made decent saves to ensure his side returned home with slim hope ahead of the return leg later this month.

Costa team manager was sent to the stands after he confronted the referee at the end of first half. 

Rayon Sports played with ten men for 20 minutes after playmaker Pierrot Kwizera was red-carded after picking up a second yellow.

To reach this stage, Clube dos Desportos da Costa do Sol eliminated Juaneng Galaxy of Botswana in the preliminary round while they overcame Cape Town City of South Africa in the first round.

Rayon Sports dropped to CAF Confederation Cup after they crashed out of CAF Champions League at the hands of Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa in the first round.

The winner of the two-legged tie between Rayon Sports and Mozambique’s most successful football club will advance to the group stage of the continent’s second biggest club competition.

Should the 8-time Rwandan champions eliminate Club Desportivo Costa do Sol, it will be the first time a Rwandan club will have reached the group stage of any CAF competition.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw