El Merreikh were the better team – Petrovic

APR head coach Ljubomir Petrovic has conceded that his team lost to a superior and more experienced El Merreikh side in the final of 2014 Cecafa Kagame Cup. The Sudanese champions brought to bear their experience to grind out a 1-0 victory against the Rwandan giants to win their third Cecafa Kagame Cup title on Sunday at Amahoro Stadium. Kenyan striker Allan Wanga pounced on a ball from his captain Ahmed Elbasha to beat APR goalie Olivier Kwizera on the 27th minute for the only goal of the match. Petrovic admitted that his side did not play well enough in the final, after a decent run in the tournament. “They were fantastic. I warned my team before that El Merreikh would study us on video and apply tactics that would suit them. They are that good,” the Serbian said during post-match interview. “They can adjust their game because their players and coach are very experienced. My players are younger and less experienced; we paid the price,” added, Petrovic, the man who won the 1991 European Cup with Red Star Belgrade. APR were looking for their fourth title having won the regional club trophy in 2004, 2007 and 2010 – all on home soil. Yet it became the second consecutive year that they have lost in the final after falling to Burundi’s Vital’O in last year’s edition in Darfur. El Merreikh’s most outstanding player, Ugandan goalkeeper Omar Salim Magoola, who has only been with the club for two months having moved from KCCA of Uganda in June, said he was very impressed with his team’s performance. “I am so happy that we are champions of Cecafa. It means a lot to me because this is my first trophy with El Merreikh and, for sure, we played outstanding football here in Kigali,” said the 19 year-old.

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El Merreikh were the better team – Petrovic