Mohamadou Sy scored the winning spot kick as Rwandan champions APR FC defeated Al Hilal Omdurman 5-4 on penalties on Friday, July 19 at the KMC Stadium to book their place in the finals of the 2024 CECAFA Kagame Cup. It was 120 minutes of serious football action as the two teams headed into the extra time, before heading to spot kicks, since the game had ended 0-0 in normal time. Darko Novic made just one change to his previous APR starting lineup as Ghanaian holding midfielder Seidu Dauda Yussif replaced Taddeo Lwanga in midfield. The three- time CECAFA Kagame Cup champions held on defensively in the early stages with Clement Niyigena putting the brakes on danger man Mohammed Abdelrahman. APR showcased their attacking intent with Olivier Dushimimana and Victor Mbaoma combining beautifully in the 15th minute, though they could not convert the chance into a goal. ALSO READ: Novic names 24-man squad for 2024 CECAFA Kagame Cup APR switched the game to the flanks from the 30th minute, and started to use the pace of Gilbert Mugisha and Ramadhan Niyibizi to cause problems to Al Hilal's defence. In the second half, the Rwandan giants brought on Mohamadou Sy and Dieudonne Ndayishimiye for Victor Mbaoma and Olivier Dushimimana in the 66th minute respectively as Darko Novic sought to bring more urgency upfront. It worked well as the duo put the Al Hilal back four under pressure with their pressing style of play. Ghanaian midfielder Richmond Lamptey replaced Gilbert Mugisha with 10 minutes to the end of the match. By full time, the game was 0-0, leading to extra time. After 120 minutes of action, the two teams headed to penalties. SPR scored all their five penalties through Ramadhan Niyibizi, Clement Niyigena, Elie Kategaya, Gilbert Byiringiro and Momadou Sy while Al Hilal missed their fifth kick. In the finals, APR will face the winner between Hay Al Wadi vs Red Arrows. The finals are slated for Sunday, July 21.
