•Marines dent Atraco’s treble dream

National League
Yesterday (final day)
Atraco  0-0   Marines
Mukura  0-2   APR
Rayon  4-2   Kiyovu
Kibuye    1-1   Amagaju
El’gaz      3-0   Police
AS Kigali 2-0 Jeunesse

WHILE APR couldn’t hold in their excitement of a tenth league title at Huye stadium, it was all gloom at Amahoro stadium where Atraco were shockingly held to a goalless draw by a well-organized Marines side.

APR and Atraco went into the final day of the season with a chance to win the league but it was the military side who had the last laugh.

The nine-time league champions pulled off a 2-0 win over Mukura to add a tenth league title to their already adorned trophy shelf after the 2007/08 champions Atraco had stumbled at the worst possible time of the campaign.

Sam Timbe’s troops were shockingly held to a goalless draw putting an instant end on talks of a possible treble.

Strikes from Kabange Twite (45th) and Bokota Labama Kamana (77th) were the difference at the end of the day.

Twite capitalised on a defensive mix up in Mukura’s back line to head in the first goal from close range 13 minutes from time before Bokota calmed nerves on the APR bench after rounding off Mukura goalie Sebastien Habimana and putting the ball in an empty net.

Tension levels remained high after the final whistle as the APR camp awaited results from the Atraco-Marine game which was still in progress.

But a few minutes later, the army-side’s camp went wild after learning that Marines had managed to hold the reigning champions.

The draw coupled with APR’s victory meant that the two sides finished level on points (51 points) but Erik Paske’s side finished top on goal difference (40 against Atraco’s 36).

Marines’ goal stopper Bosco Sekimonyo stood in Atraco’s way with a series of top class saves to deny Sam Timbe a second consecutive title. Johnson Bagoole, Hamis Kitagenda and Amani Uwiringiyimana were all denied by the lively Sekimonyo.

Atraco now have to win the MTN Peace Cup to have a chance of competing in next year’s CAF Confederations Cup. APR will represent the country in the lucrative Champions League.

Meanwhile, La Jeunesse and Kibuye were relegated to the second division and will be replaced by Musanze and Etincelles in the topflight division.

Ends