Muhanga coach eyes Peace Cup title

July 4: FinalAS Kigali vs AS Muhanga Third place playoffAPR vs Bugesera AS Muhanga head coach, Ali Bizimungu is confident about his team’s chances to win this year’s Peace Cup against Malaria when they meet the City of Kigali-sponsored AS Kigali in the final slated for July 4 at Amahoro National Stadium. The Southern Province-based AS Muhanga managed to brush aside favourites Mukura Victory Sports and second division side Bugesera FC in quarter and semi-finals respectively and Bizimungu believes his team can continue to defy odds and go all the way to lift the title, the first major silverware in the club’s history. AS Muhanga, who finished 11th with 27 points in the 14-team Primus National League, eliminated Mukura 3-1 on aggregate despite losing 1-0 In the first-leg and saw off Bugesera 2-1 on aggregate in semis after having lost 1-0 in the first-leg. “We are doing everything possible to win this title and I think the huddles we have managed to overcome have been much tougher than the final itself,” Bizimungu told Times Sport on Wednesday. The former Rayon Sports coach added, “We started serious preparations last week with the full squad. We’re staying together in a camp to instill the team spirit and focus on the final against AS Kigali.” In another semi-final, AS Kigali knocked out APR 4-2 on penalty shoot-outs after a 1-all draw in the second leg of the semi-final that was held at Stade de Kigali. The winner of the Peace Cup will pocket Rwf10 million; Rwf7 million will go to the first runners-up. The second and fourth runners-up will walk away with Rwf5 million and Rwf3 million, respectively. Imbuto Foundation, sponsored this year’s Peace Cup tournament to the tune of Frw97 million, a development that saw the competition renamed “Peace Cup against Malaria.”