Rwandan champions APR FC can only take positives from the just-concluded 2024 CECAFA Kagame Cup despite faltering in the final at the hands of Zambian outfit Red Arrows. The Lions missed chance to lifting what would have been their fourth CECAFA Kagame Cup trophy, following a shock 10-9 penalty shootout loss to Red Arrows of Zambia in the crunch final held at KMC Stadium in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on Sunday, July 21. Aside finishing the campaign as runners-up with a cash prize of $20,000, the competition also served as a preparatory outing for the army side ahead of the 2024/25 Primus National League as well as the CAF Champions League which both kick off in August. Times Sport takes a look at key takeaways from APR’s CECAFA Kagame Cup campaign. APR showed resilience and fighting spirit Serbian tactician Darko Novic is gradually instilling self-belief among his players and it is working to perfection. This is what the team has been missing previously especially when they were playing away from home. Novic’s team looked relaxed and they didn't show panic throughout their CECAFA Kagame Cup campaign; even when the opposition took control of possession, they were calm in every situation. Against Red Arrows in the final, they fought back to score at the death, hence forcing the match into extra time and subsequently to penalty shootout. Penalties have their own reality, but the best team lost. Novic may have found his ideal midfield trio Seidu Yussif, Bosco Ruboneka and Richmond Lamptey have shown that they can dictate the midfield against big teams in Africa and they are clearly getting used to each other despite spending just a month together in the team. In the last three games, APR played the second half with the trio and they were a delight to watch. Dauda, who made his first start in the semifinals against Al Hilal Omdurman, won man of the match whereas Lamptey came from the bench to set up the equalizer in the 90th minute in the final against Red Arrows. AS things stand now, it is evident that Novic will settle on Dauda, Ruboneka and Lamptey as his midfield trio during the Champions League and the league. Dauda has energy in abundance, he can win balls, shield the back four and also orchestrate the attacking game. Ruboneka is also full of energy, he can function as a box-to-box midfielder while Lamptey can give the final magical pass for the attackers to score just like he did in the final when he set up Mamadou Sy for an equalizer against Red Arrows. The Ghanaian can also score himself and has power in his left foot for long drives. Mamadou Sy's dynamism Victor Mbaoma must up his game if he still wants to be APR's leading striker. He started in attack during the just concluded CECAFA Kagame Cup campaign but Mamadou Sy has also proven that he is also equal to the task as he would seize any chance he was given and make an impact from the bench. The Malian wonderkid scored twice as a substitute during the competition while Mbaoma failed to find the back of the net. Unlike the Nigerian attacker, Sy is mobile, he can draw back, pick balls and attacks with pace. He knows how to run into empty spaces to collect a pass. With an offensive midfielder like Lamptey who is an excellent passer of the ball, APR will be more dangerous with Sy who knows how to position himself in the box to score. Niyigena’s defensive masterclass For the past two seasons, Clement Niyigena has been arguably the best centre back in the domestic league and he is now carving a niche for himself in international competitions. The Rwanda international was named 2024 CECAFA Kagame Cup’s best player as he remained a pillar at the back of the army side throughout the tournament. If Niyigena stays fit, he will be very vital for APR in the domestic league and their Africa campaign. Niyomugabo leading by example In Claude Niyomugabo, APR had a skipper who led by example in the CECAFA Kagame Cup. The left-back won two man-of-the-match awards in five games he played. He was effective at the back for the Rwanda champions and his exploits inspired the team to the final of the tournament. Niyomugabo established himself as an inspiration for other players, especially the new signings, on and off the pitch. His leadership may again be key to the club’s performance at continental competitions. The team must aspire to score more goals The only problem that Novic must tackle is imposing attacking football and creating a goal-scoring team. APR FC scored in four of the five games they payed but they could only manage one goal in each of the games. The team must be clinical enough to score more goals. Novic is lucky to have Sy in his team as he looks to bring competition to Mbaoma whose goals the club has been mostly relying on during the previous season. If the Nigerian attacker isn’t as prolific as he expected, the Serbian coach must revise his notes by handing Sy an opportunity in the first 11. The CAF Champions League is a different competition and APR must endeavor to score more goals which would have a big say on their fate in the competition.
