Home comfort for APR

• Military side wins third successive Kagame Cup at home• Cecafa award President Kagame a golden boot Final APR 2-0 St. George Third-place playoff Sofapaka 2-1 Atraco RWANDA’s league champions APR FC made home advantage count as they beat Ethiopia’s St. George 2-0 to win this year’s Cecafa/Kagame Club Championship in the final played yesterday at Amahoro National Stadium. The military side needed 120 minutes to seal the victory and a lift their third successive region club title on home soil. Malawi international striker Chiukepo Msowoya scored the first goal on 92nd minute and set up the second for his compatriot Victor Nyirenda four minutes later to earn a deserved victory for the Black and White side. The home team got a free-kick as early as the fifth minute but Niyonzima Haruna’s set up for Nyirenda went to no good use as defender Mohammed Suleiman made a brave block. Bebeto Lwamba, who was playing at right-back, wasted another opportunity to give his team the lead when his long range shot skidded just wide of the post. Kabange Twite was another APR player to miss another chance after ge dribbled past Abebaw Butako and Amanuel Gidey but his effort never troubled St. George keeper Samson Assefa. Before recess, Adane Girma got the best opportunity to put St. George in the lead as he unleashed a strong shot which beat the goal post to deny them the lead. APR continued their dominance in the second half with Niyonzima wasting two clear chances through free-kicks.With normal time running out, Girma made a very good run through the middle past Patrick Mafisango and Kalisa Mao and unleashed another fierce shot which also hit the crossbar. This is where the Ethiopians realized that their chances of lifting this year’s regional club championship title were all but over. Jean Claude Iranzi substituted Didier Logba Sella and the former SC Kiyovu midfielder had his shot condensed in the dying minute of the game. ST. George put pressure on APR in the last five minutes with Salahadin Said and Adane Girma combining well upfront while Jean Claude Amougu and Mesfin Kindane bravely commanding the midfield. But just two minutes after the start of extra-time, Msowoya, after playing a one-two with Luamba inside St. George penalty area made no mistake with a fierce shot from an acute angle to sent the full capacity Amahoro stadium into wild cheers. Four minutes later, the goal scorer turned provider for Nyirenda to seal a hard fought victory that gave APR their third Kagame Cup title. APR’s previous Kagame Cup victories were realized in 2004 and 2007. In the battle of the third place, Kenya’s Sofapaka led by Sam Ssimbwa proved their prowess against Sam Timbe’s Atraco with a 2-1 victory. Akinyemi Abbas scored the opening goal for the Kenyans on 19th minute and Laurent Tumba scored the second on 21st minutes of the first half. Daddy Birori took his goal tally to five with Atraco’s consolation. All goals were scored in the first half. President Paul Kagame gave APR the Kagame Cup trophy and a $30.000 kaki envelop. St George pocketed $20.000 while Sofapaka bagged $10.000 respectively. Meanwhile, President Kagame was awarded by Cecafa Chairman Leodegar Tenga a golden boot for his role in helping to reduce the impact of malaria disease. Ends