AS Kigali edge APR to reach Peace Cup final

Semi-final: Second leg YesterdayAPR 0-1 AS Kigali [1-1 agg] | *AS Kigali win 4-2 on penalties WednesdayAS Muhanga vs Bugesera TEN-MAN AS Kigali reached the final of the 2013 Peace Cup against Malaria by defeating defending champions and seven-time winners APR FC 4-2 on penalties at Stade de Kigali yesterday. APR will not contest the Peace Cup final for the very first time since 2002. Leading 1-0 from the first leg, the military side went into the game as favourites but just 15 minutes into the second leg encounter, the score was 1-1 after striker Bodo Ndikumana headed home Laudit Mavugo’s cross. After that, goal scoring opportunities for AS Kigali were few and far between. 20 minutes later, it was the visitors who threatened at the other end as Jean Claude Iranzi connected with a cross from Nova Bayama, but directed his header wide of the upright. Andrew Buteera should have done better eight minutes before the break after receiving a pass from Jacques Cyubahiro in the penalty area but he, too, fired over the crossbar under minimum pressure. The City of Kigali-sponsored AS Kigali were reduced to ten men in the second half when midfielder Mohammed Kabula was sent off for a second bookable offense. However, that disadvantage didn’t seem to affect them as they controlled their defense and midfield with ease despite APR piling endless pressure in search for an equaliser. Iranzi continued to find space inside AS Kigali’s half as the game progressed and although he was given too much room to unleash a shot from outside the penalty area; his strike was well dealt with by the outstanding goalkeeper Emery Mvuyekure. APR had a good chance to level matters deep into injury time when Emery Bayisenge floated a free-kick into the box, but Cyubahiro sent his header wide. With a 1-all aggregate, the winner had to be determined through spot kicks and AS Kigali winning 4-2. AS Kigali converted all their four spot kicks through James Mukubwa, Ndikumana, Jimmy Mbaraga and James Tubane. Hegman Ngoma and Bayisenge converted APR’s only two successful spot kicks as Eric Nsabimana and Maxime Sekamana missed theirs. After being dethroned as Rwandan league champions by Rayon Sports, the Peace Cup against Malaria was APR’s best chance to end the season with some silverware. APR, which was founded in 1993 has won the Peace Cup title seven times – in 2002, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011 and 2012. Their remaining hope for a trophy lies in the upcoming Cecafa/Kagame Cup, which will be held in Northern Darfur and South Kordofan in Sudan. AS Kigali will meet the winner between AS Muhanga and Bugesera in the final with the loser facing APR in the third-place playoff, all set for July 4. The winner of the tournament will pocket Rwf10m, Rwf7m for the first runners-up, third place winner will walk away with Frw5m, while the team that finishes fourth will get Rwf3m.