Atraco draws Sudan’s El-Merreikh in Kagame Cup

Kagame Cup 2009 Group AKartileh /Djibsat (DJI) El-Merreikh (SUD) TP Mazembe (DRC) Atraco (RWA) Group BBenadir Telecom (SOM) KCC (UGA) Mathare United (KEN) Prisons (TAN) Group C Hey El-Arab (SUD)Tusker (KEN) Inter stars (BUR) Miembeni (ZAN) June 30 Opening Day fixturesMathare v KartilehEl-Merreikh v Atraco Atraco Fc has been drawn against Sudan’s El Merreikh in Group A of this year’s Cecafa/Kagame Club Championship which kicks off June 28 in Khartoum, Sudan. The local league champions were drawn in Group A alongside El Merreikh, Kenya’s Mathare and Kartileh of Djibouti. El-Merreikh, who won the competition in 1986 and 1994, will be a handful for Atraco who will be playing them for the second time this year. The sides met in the African Champions League early this year with the Sudanese side knocking out Atraco after a 2-1 rout. Group B constitutes of TP Mazembe which was invited as a guest, Uganda’s KCC, Tanzania Prisons and Benadir Telecom of Somalia. Defending champion Tusker FC is pitted against Hey El-Arab of Sudan, Miembeni of Zanzibar and Burundi’s Inter Stars in Group C. The best two teams from each group will be joined by the best two losers to make the quarter finals that will be staged in Khartoum. Due to the high temperatures in Sudan virtually all these matches will be staged from 6pm. The sponsorship package this year has risen to $600,000. The amount includes President Paul Kagame’s annual contribution of $60,000. The prize money has also increased to $100,000 from $60,000. The winner will pocket $50,000 while the runner-ups will settle for $30,000 and $20,000 respectively. The matches will be staged at Merreikh, Khartoum and Port Sudan. Atraco are Rwanda’s only representative in the two-week competition. Kenya’s Tusker is the defending champions after beating Uganda’s URA in last year’s final. Ends

Lifestyle

Atraco draws Sudan’s El-Merreikh in Kagame Cup