CECAFA: APR meets Vital'O in final

By David Kizito in Darfur

El-Merreikh Vs Rayon Sport (Classification match) 5:30pm

 APR Vs Vital’O (Final) 8:30pm

RWANDA champions APR FC goes into today’s finals of the Cecafa-Kagame Club championship against Vital’O without two of their key players on suspension for being indiscipline.

The Rwandese army side head coach Andreas Spier is however not bothered with the suspended players and has promised early explosions in this game.

“We are aware of their [Vital’O] strength and we shall attack them from onset to look for early goals, destroy their system of play and keep them on pressure” said the Germany tactician.

APR will miss the services of their central defender John Baptiste Mugiraneza who was sent off during their semi final match against El-Merreikh and Eric Nsabimana who acquired a second yellow card in the same match.

On the other side, Vital’O will have all their players legible for the game. 

This will be the fifth time the two clubs are meeting in a stretch of less than twelve months. In December 2012, the two sides met in a match organized by the Rwandese government to mark the RPF’s 25th anniversary in Kigali and the home boys won 2-0.

In the CAF Orange champions League, Vital’O edged APR 2-1 in Kigali and lost 1-0 in Bujumbura but advanced to the next stage on an away goal rule. In El-Fasher, the two were placed in the same group ‘A’ and drew 1-1 in their fixture. 

At the end of their group stage matches, the two league champions had both tied at 5 points and three goals scored with the same number of goals conceded.

CAF referees’ inspector Charles Masembe had to toss a coin to separate them and the Burundians took the first position to draw against Ports in the quarter finals. They walloped the Djiboutians 6-0 to storm the semis and APR dumped Ugandan Champions Express FC 2-0. 

Vital’O head coach Younde Kanyankore said he had dreamt of winning this championship even before he left Bujumbura and promised a good show on Monday.

“I have respect for APR, it’s a good side but we are equally good and it’s going to be a great final” said the Rwandese national Younde Kanyanmkore. 

Rwandese Minister of sports Mitali Protais will officially represent the Rwandese government at the finals and he is expected in El-Fasher this Monday afternoon. Rwanda President Gen. Paul Kagame put at stake US$ 60,000 to be won in prizes by the three top clubs.

APR have never won this championship away from Kigali but have emerged champions three times at home in 2004, 2007 and 2009. Vital’O are looking to their first title.