Sunday

Final Mukura 2-1 Rayon

Third-place APR 0-1 Police

MUKURA Victory Sports are winners of the 2019 Agaciro Development Fund tournament after ousting Rayon Sports 2-1 in the final at Amahoro Stadium on Sunday.

The averagely attended match squared off last season’s champions, Rayon Sports against Mukura who finished in third place.

Sunday’s upset marked the second time Mukura have beaten Rayon in a final in as many years following the 2018 Peace Cup victory in dramatic penalty shootouts at Kigali Stadium.

The defeat ruined Rayon’s chance to lift the Agaciro Cup title for a third consecutive time.

After a slow and dull first half, striker Samuel Chukwudi broke the deadlock in the 49th minute to put Mukura ahead before Innocent Ndizeye doubled the lead from the spot just after three minutes.

Centre referee Samuel Uwikunda did not hesitate to award a penalty after a handball by Mukura’s former defender Saidi Iragire inside the box.

Ten minutes later, Michael Sarpong netted the consolation goal for the tournament’s 2017 and 2018 winners, also from a spot-kick after Alex Ngirimana was deemed to have blocked a cross from Hussein Habimana with his arm.

"I am very happy to win my first trophy with Mukura, this is good motivation and boost of confidence as we prepare for a new league season,” Cameroon-born coach Olivier Ovambe said in a post-match interview.

Both teams finished the game with a man down. Rayon Sports skipper Eric Rutanga was shown a straight red card in the 70th minute for assaulting the assistant referee while Mukura’s goal-scorer Ndizeye was sent off in the 77th minute after receiving a second booking.

In the meantime, Police, winners of the tournament’s inaugural edition in 2015, finished third after beating APR 1-0, thanks to the lone goal from Osée Iyabivuze in the 73rd minute.

editor@newtimesrwanda.com