El Merriekh FC (Sudan) 1-0 APR FC (Rwanda)
Sudan’s El Merriekh FC are the 2014 CECAFA Kagame Cup winners thanks to their 1-0 victory over Rwanda’s APR FC in an entertaining final match played at Amahoro stadium, Kigali.
Kenyan import Allan Wanga who joined the club from AFC Leopards mid this year netted the only goal of the game in the 25th minute to sink the home army side that started the game as favourites.
The first half saw little opportunities for either side but El Merriekh took the lead through Kenyan forward Allan Wanga in the 25th minute.
The Harambee Stars striker connected nicely with Ragi Abdallate Abdallah cross to send the ball into the roof of the netted.
Traore Mohammed had an opportunity to make it 2-0 for the Sudan league champions but his intended shot on goal after beating Emery Bayisenge and Yannick Mukunzi inside the 18 yard box missed target.
The Malien who had a good first half again missed target in the 45th minute by inches as his free kick from over 40 yards missed target.
APR FC suffered a great blow towards the end of the first period after Emery Bayisenge was subbed for Herve Rugwiro.
On recess, Coach Petrovic Ljubomir made another change withdrawing ex-Proline FC midfielder Andrew Buteera for Isaie Songa.
Inside four minutes of the second half, APR FC almost got an equaliser but Jamal Salim did well to save Michel Ndahinduka’s shot with Djamal Mwisenza shooting over the bar from the rebound.
Five minutes later, Salim was again at hand to save from Jean Baptiste Mugiraneza as the APR FC number hit a low shot within six yards.
El Merriekh FC coach made his first substitution of the game withdrawing skipper El Basher for Ramadan Agaba and later goal scorer Allan Wanga for Gabir Abdu Mohammed.
In the 70th minute, Traore neatly beat everyone in the APR FC backline but his cutback pass on the byline found no one to make connection as it went begging.
The Malien went close again in the 80th minute but goalie Olivier Kwizera did well to save at near post.
The Sudan giants held on till the final whistle and were without doubt the better of the two sides in the final.
The victory now brings El Merriekh FC’s CECAFA Club Championships to three having won it in 1986, 1994 and now 2014.