It was a game worth watching on Wednesday, April 26, as Rayon Sports defeated Police FC 3-2 in an epic Peace Cup quarter finals first leg game held at Muhanga Stadium.
The game lived up to the pre-match hype from great displays and the tenacity that normally characterizes every tough game, giving spectators who travelled to Muhanga a reason to watch it with so much excitement.
The Blues started the game brightly and took a commanding lead as Eric Ngendahimana, Esenu Musa and Leandre Onana scored three quick first half goals in before the half hour mark but Police fought back like wounded lions with their top attacker Didier Mugisha netting a brace as the game ended 3-2.
Rayon barely gave Police FC the chance to settle as they were shot ahead through Ngendahimana in the fourth minute. The goal duly unsettled the law enforcers as the Blues capitalized on it and pinned them into their own half.
Esenu doubled the lead for the home side in the 14th minute before Cameroonian forward Leandre Onana netted the third in the 29th minute.
The emphatic 3-0 lead brought the best out of Police as they came out from their slumber and started to attack Rayon from all angles.
Didier Mugisha reduced the deficit on the stroke of recess as the first half ended 3-1 for Rayon who looked the better side with potential to score more goals.
But Police FC returned in the second half more composed with substitute Gesbon Rutonesha who had replaced Jean Baptiste Mugiraneza earlier on in the first half being the driving force.
Vincent Mashami's men's persistent attack yielded dividends as they had a penalty in the 63rd minute following an infringement inside the penalty box. Mugisha coolly sent Bonheur Hategekimana the wrong way to score his second goal of the day.
With the scores at 3-2, Rayon coach Francis Haringingo applied a more tactical approach as he only made his team soak the pressure to prevent themselves from conceding more goals and play on the counter.
He brought on Felix Ndekwe and Iraguha Hadji for Heritier Luvumbu and Joackim Ojera respectively in the final couple of minutes as Rayon held on to win the first leg with 3-2 lead.
Police will have to turn the results around the second leg when the pair face off on May 3 at Bugesera Stadium.
Other games
In an early kick off at Muhanga Stadium, Kiyovu Sports thrashed Rwamagana City 3-0 to set a semifinal date with league title rivals APR on a 5-3 aggregate victory. Fred Muhozi, Erisa Ssekisambu and Bertrand Iradukunda were all on the scoresheet for the Green Baggies.
Meanwhile, Musanze knocked Mukura out of the quarter finals on penalties despite beating the Huye-based side 1-0 in the second leg to tie the scores level.
Mukura progressed to the semifinals after eliminating Musanze thanks to 4-2 victory on penalty shoot outs. They will now face either Rayon Sports or Police FC in the semifinals.