Under-pressure Ssimbwa tasked to win Peace Cup

Sunday Rayon Sports 1-1 AS Kigali APR 3-0 Amagaju Etincelles 2-2 Musanze Mukura 3-0 SC Kiyovu Police 2-3 Espoir Gicumbi 3-0 AS Muhanga Esperance 1-0 Marines Police FC’s head coach Sam Ssimbwa has been told by his bosses that winning the Peace Cup this season should be the team’s top priority. According to the club Spokesperson Jean de Dieu Mayira, after seeing their hopes of winning the league shattered earlier than expected, Ssimbwa, who replaced Serbian Goran Kopunovic at the start of the season, needs to win the cup to salvage what has been a disappointing campaign. On Sunday Ssimbwa’s side suffered a 3-2 home defeat against Espoir at Kicukiro turf in the national league. Police FC are in fourth position with 41 points after 12 wins, seven losses and five draws of their 24 league matches. APR lead the league with 58 points, two ahead of second-placed and reigning champions Rayon Sports, with two rounds of matches remaining. Mayira played down media reports that the flamboyant Ugandan tactician is likely to lose his job at the end of the season because he has failed to make Police real contenders for the league title. His predecessor Kopunovic led the club to two second place finish in two successive seasons. “We are not in bad position in the league, and we will continue to look for more points in the last two matches and see how we finish the season,” Mayira told Times Sport. About Ssimbwa’s position, he added, “He is still the head coach and the situation is not likely to change after the end of the season. However, now that we are out of the league title race, the coach must concentrate on winning the Peace Cup, which should be his top priority.” In Peace Cup, Police knocked out Bugesera with 5-0 victory in 1/16 round, beat Mukura 3-1 in the 1/8 round and will take on Musanze FC in the quarterfinals. Ssimbwa has kept a low profile since he was banned for one game and fined Rwf100,000 for his verbal attack of match officials following his team’s defeat to Rayon Sports about two months ago.