It was an intriguing 2024 CECAFA Kagame Cup group stage after which four teams —APR FC of Rwanda, Al Hilal and Al Wadi of Sudan as well as Red Arrows of Zambia — qualified for the semi-finals.
The latter advanced to the last four as the best second-placed team while three others booked automatic tickets after coming out on top in their respective groups.
Times Sport takes a look at five key highlights of the action-packed group stage of the tournament which is underway in Tanzania.
Al Hilal flying high despite no football activities in Sudan
Al Hilal won all their three Group A matches, defeating Red Arrow 5-0, Ali Sabeh 2-0, Kenya’s Gor Mahia 2-0. It is interesting to note that football activities have been halted in Sudan for a year now because of war.
Fighting begun on April 15, 2023, pitting the army of General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of General Mohamed Hamdan Daglo and, since then, domestic football and other sporting activities have been postponed.
Al Hilal's performance in the 2024 CECAFA Kagame Cup shows that class is permanent.
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A rejuvenated APR under Darko Novic
APR may have been dominant in domestic football for the past half-decade, but that has not stopped them from struggling outside Rwanda.
Under new coach Darko Novic and with the addition of some big name players from West Africa, the army side is showing signs of shining. From how they are currently playing, it is evident that they are only getting much better.
Niyomugabo in the form of his life
Usually in tournaments, all eyes are on offensive players considering that they are the ones who mostly claim accolades thanks to their goal-scoring exploits.
The story is, however, different with APR’s in-form Claude Niyomugabo dominating headlines in Tanzania. The Rwanda international, who operates as a left-back, has won the man of the match prize two times from the group stages, first against El Merreikh Bentiu and then SC Villa.
With his output, Niyomugabo can easily win player of the tournament if APR go on to at least reach the final.
Adama Coulibaly, the tournament’s revelation
Al Hilal made an excellent signing by acquiring 18-year-old Adama Coulibaly from Malian side AS Bakariadjan. He signed a five-year deal for an undisclosed fee on June 21, 2024.
Coulibaly has emerged as one of the stars at the CECAFA Kagame Cup, netting a hat trick against Res Arrows.
He has the world at his feet and it is evident he will blossom to become a great player. Watch out, APR FC!
Football in CECAFA zone on the rise
The 2024 CECAFA Kagame Cup is showing that football is gradually improving in the CECAFA zone.
ASAS Djibouti Telecom holding Gor Mahia to a 1-1 draw in Group B and El Merreikh Bentiu of South Sudan also playing 0-0 with SC Villa of Uganda in Group C, shows football is on the rise in the CECAFA zone.
Previously, it would have been easier for Gor Mahia and SC Villa to put five or even 10 past the two teams but it is now hard to predict a win against them because the level of competition has improved.