Express crash out of CECAFA

By David Kibanga in Darfur

CECAFA Club quarterfinals

Express 0 APR 2

Thursday, 3pm 

URA  v  Rayon Sport 

THEY simply could not express themselves! Or were over expressed?

Uganda’s only hopes in the ongoing CECAFA Club championship (Kagame Cup) in Sudan now lie in URA FC after Express FC went down 2-0 to Rwanda’s APR in the quarter-finals yesterday.

Second half goals from Jean Baptist Mugiranze after 52 minutes and Nova Bayama (87) were all that the Rwandans needed to sink the Red Eagles. 

The same APR side eliminated Uganda’s URA at the same stage in last year’s edition of the tournament in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Yesterday’s result was a stunning blow to the young Express team that had raised the bar when they beat another Rwandan side Rayon Sport 2-1 in the group stages.

Express coach Sam Ssimbwa blamed the defeat partly on Sudanese referee Badreldin Abdel.

“You could think he was on a mission to let APR go through. The first goal was not a foul but he called it and ended up hurting us,” Ssimbwa grieved. 

APR German coach, Andreas Spier, said it was tough in the first half but his side later settled to play their best game.  

Today URA hope to console Express when come up against another Rwandan hurdle in Rayon Sport in another quarter final.

Coach Paul Nkata will rely on new recruit from Express, striker Frank Kalanda to look for goals. 

The game starts at 3pm Ugandan time.