Tough test for APR

Kagame Cup ChampionshipToday Ports vs URA 1pm SS9Yanga vs APR 3pm SS9YesterdayAtletico 5-0 Wau SalaamAPR and Yanga face off this afternoon at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam in the final Group C match with both sides knowing the winner will cruise into the the quarter finals.After two games for either team, the Rwandan champions, winner of the CECAFA Kagame competition in 2010 have four points, while the reigning champions Yanga, who finished third in the Tanzanian Premier League, have three.APR walloped debutants Wau El Salaam of South Sudan 7-0 on the opening day as Yanga were stunned 2-0 by Burundi’s Atletico, while in the second matches, APR drew 0-0 with the Burundian side whereas the holders hammered the South Sudanese 7-1.Neither team can afford to lose as it would mean the end of their campaign since Atletico have already taken one of two quarterfinal places from Group C following their 5-0 win over Wau Salaam yesterday.However, APR’s Dutch Ernie Brandts is optimistic.“We know Yanga very well and they will be hoping to redeem their chances of qualifying against us, but I am confident about our chances to progress to the quarterfinals. We’re ready for the game, which I believe will be harder than any we’ve played so far,” said the former Dutch international.Yet his opposite number Tom Saintfiet of Yanga believes playing against APR in such a significant match makes the task even tougher.“It will not be easy to get a good result against APR, but I am very hopeful. The players are ready to give 100 per cent to get a win which will help us reach the next round,” the Belgian was quoted in the Tanzanian press.If Yanga fails to reach the last eight in a tournament that has attracted 11 teams, it will be the second successive year that reigning champions have not gone beyond the group stage following what befell APR last year. Meanwhile, Uganda’s URA, who have already qualified for the next round after back to back wins in their first two matches, take on Ports of Djibouti in the final Group A match.

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Tough test for APR