By James Robert Kayindi
After two good weeks of entertaining football the king of the jungle in this year’s Kagame cup has been found. South Sudan’s El Merriekh FC are the kings and champions of the 2014 CECAFA Kagame Cup having beaten the hosts APR FC by just 1-0 in the finals at the Amahoro stadium in Kigali yesterday evening.
Kenyan international striker, Allan Wanga who joined the Sudanese side in the middle of this year from AFC Leopards scored the only goal of the evening that saw El Merriekh carry the day and be crowned champions of the 2014 Kagame cup in Rwanda. The 25th minute of the game saw the El Merriekh’s bench go bonkers on the evening when the Harambe stars’ striker netted after connecting exquisitely with Ragi Abdallate Abdallah’s cross to send the ball into the roof of the net.
The few chances created in the first half saw the home army lag behind after failing to match the finishing qualities of the Sudanese side who well utilized their only golden opportunity of the first 45 minutes which paid them greatly with the trophy. The champions however missed two chances to extend their lead in the first half when Traore Mohammed shot off target in the 18yards’box and from the 40yard free kick that also missed the target by just inches .
It was a big blow for APR FC when Emery Bayisenge was substituted for Herve Rugwiro towards the end of the first half but as if that wasn’t enough, Coach Petrovic Ljubomirmade withdrew ex-Proline FC midfielder Andrew Buteera for Isaie Songa just at half-time in his pursuit to bring the game to level. The home army almost equalized just after 4minutes into the second half through Michel Ndahinduka but Jamal Salim did well to save the shot before Djamal Mwisenza shot wide on the rebound.
El Merriekh removed FC Ramadan Agabaand and later goal scorer Allan Wanga for Gabir Abdu Mohammed before Traore beat APR’s back line but only failed to find anyone to connect with his cut back pass in the 70th minute. The home team tried to threaten back through Malien who came close in the 80th minute but his shot was saved by goalie Olivier Kwizera.
El Merriekh FC’s win yesterday against the Rwandese giants gave them their third title of the CECAFA KAGAME CUP and their first in 20years. They won it in 1986, 1994and now 2014.
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