Salim heroics deny KCCA CECAFA final slot
Aug 23, 2014
JAMAL Salim was the hero after saving two penalties and converting the winner as El Merriekh eliminated Ugandan champions KCCA FC 3-0 on penalties to reach the CECAFA Kagame Club Championship finals in Kigali
By Hussein Bukenya in Kigali
CECAFA Club Championships
Semi-finals
APR 0 Police 0 (4-2)
KCCA FC 2 El Merriekh 2 (0-3)
Final
APR vs El Merriekh
KIGALI - Jamal Salim was the hero after saving two penalties and converting the winner as El Merriekh eliminated Ugandan champions KCCA FC 3-0 on penalties to reach the CECAFA Kagame Club Championship finals in Kigali.
Following a 2-2 draw after normal time, the former KCCA FC goalie turned his guns against his former employees saving two and converting the winner.
El Merriekh’s Traore Mohamed open the scoring on 34 minutes after El Merriekh’s new signing Allan Wanga was guilty of a glaring miss in the opening minute.
Trailing at half time, KCCA through Tom Masiko equalized in the 50th minute but their joy lasted only four minutes before Ragi Abdalate Abdalah scored with an easy tap in after goalie Yasin Mugabi parried Traore’s shot to restore El Merriekh’s advantage.
El Merriekh’s lead lasted only 14 minutes before Brian Umony levelled matters after brilliantly controlling William Wadri’s pass before hitting it hard past Salim.
“It’s bad that I have eliminated my former club, but I had nothing to do because I am on duty so let me pray for them to win third place”, said Salim who will miss out the final after picking up second yellow card.
KCCA head coach George Nsimbe blamed the loss on his players for not following instructions.
“Our boys have been training how to take penalties but I just wonder how they failed to score even one single goal, nothing can be done let us go for the third place”, Nsimbe stated after the game.
“Now I am aiming to win third palace because I can’t go back home with nothing. “
KCCA last won this tournament in 1978. Extra time saw no change to the score line leaving penalties to decide who goes to the finals.
In the shootout, Salim saved Brian Majwega and Umony's tame spot kicks while Tom Masiko missed the target.
Only Allan Wanga missed for El Merriekh as Gabril Balla, Faisal Moussa Hussein and Salim converted.