Rayon Sports are Super Cup winners

WednesdayRayon Sports 2-0 APR FC Azam Rwanda Premier League champions Rayon Sports were declared winners of the Super Cup after a long delay following the suspension of the game last Saturday due to power failure. Rayon Sports was leading by 2 goals when referee Abdul Twagirumukiza called off the game in the 63rd minute at Umuganda Stadium in Rubavu on Saturday. Ismailla Diarra and Pierrot Kwizera scored for Rayon in the 34th and 62nd minutes, respectively. The last 27 minutes of the suspended game were played yesterday at Kigali stadium and ended goalless consequently handing Rayon the trophy. Rayon Sports also walked away with Rwf5 million on top of the trophy. Both teams had received Rwf3m each for the preparations. This is the third trophy for Rayon Sports head coach Olivier Karekezi, a former APR FC captain, adding to the Agaciro Development Fund Cup which he won two weeks ago after defeating his former club. On Wednesday, the match resumed with the same players on the pitch and substitutes as when the match was stopped. It started in the 63rd minute as both teams made substitutes as it was the case on Saturday where Aimable Nsabimana came on for Denis Rukundo, Muhadjir Hakizimana was replaced by Shaffy Songayingabo for APR, while on other side, Yannick Mukunzi was replaced by Nova Bayama. Before kick-off referee Twagirumukiza showed a yellow card to APR midfielder Innocent Nshuti, who fouled Rayon Sports’ Eric Rutanga but the game was called off before he had been booked. “I told my players to defend well and be careful not to give APR any chance to get a goal back, I am happy to win a second trophy, but this is just pre-season, things are going to be a lot harder when the league starts, we need to be ready,” Karekezi said after the match. Jimmy Mulisa’s APR played the last 27 minutes with a player down because midfielder Imran Nshimiyimana had been sent off in the 39th minute for elbowing Rayon defender Thierry Manzi. Rayon Sports as was the case on Saturday, dominated possession and looked sharper going forward, while APR relied on playing quick counter attacks but failed to beat their former goalkeeper Eric ‘Bakame’ Ndayishimiye. After the 27 minutes, the referee added five minutes of stoppage time but APR could not get a goal back and Rayon Sports, playing without any pressure and already assured of the trophy and Rwf5million, decided to entertain their fans with good inter-passing play. The Super Cup game between the league champions, Rayon Sports, and Peace Cup winners, APR, was a curtain-raiser ahead of the start of the 2017/18 football season, which gets underway this weekend. editorial@newtimes.co.rw