Today
Rayon vs Ports 1pm
Gor Mahia vs Lydia 3pm
After Sunday’s 2-all stalemate against Kenya’s Gor Mahia in their opening game at the ongoing 41st CECAFA Kagame Cup, Rayon Sports will be up against Ports of Djibouti this afternoon looking for a first win in Dar es Salaam. The game starts at 1pm, at Chamazi Stadium.
The Kenyan champions had taken a healthy 2-0 advantage into the break thanks to goals from Jacques Tuyisenge and Humphrey Mieno before Ismail Diarra sparked the turnaround with a 64th minute penalty.
Mieno was at fault for conceding the penalty, punished for handling the ball in his own box and Ismaila Diarra duly dispatched it to cut his side’s deficit in half. Skipper Pierrot Kwizera then turned the knife on Gor with a late equalizer.
The newly appointed coach Roberto ‘Robertinho’ Oliveira has urged Rayon Sports players to aim for nothing short of a victory when they take on Ports today as the eight-time Rwandan champions bid for a first Cecafa Cup title since 1998 in Zanzibar.
"The draw with Gor Mahia on Sunday was a fantastic one, fighting back from two goals down to get collect a point was impressive. Now the focus on the game against Ports, we should consider it as a must-win, and strive to score as many goals as possible,” Robertinho said.
A win for the Blues against the Djibouti champions will keep alive their hopes of progressing to the knockout stages as Group B leaders.
Ahead of today’s matches, Ports are leading the standings with three points after beating Burundi’s Lydia Ludic. Gor Mahia and Rayon are in second and third position respectively with one point apiece while Lydia Ludic are located at the bottom without a point.
In another Group B game today, Kenyan champions, Gor Mahia, face their Burundian counterparts, Lydia Ludic, at 3pm – same venue.
APR lose second game
In the meantime, Rwanda international and Simba SC newly signed striker Meddie Kagere was on target as the Tanzania champions edged APR FC 2-1 in a tightly contested Group C fixture on Monday at the 60,000-seater Tanzania National Stadium.
APR broke the deadlock through Fiston Nikinzingabo in the 69th minute, but Adam Salamba, another new signing from Lipuli FC, levelled in the 75th minute, before Kagere converted a penalty he won with a minute left on the clock.
APR centre back Aimable Nsabimana brought down Kagere in the penalty area prompting referee Ssali Mashood to point to the spot, an outright decision that needed not little consultation from his second assistant referee, Kenyan Gilbert Cheruiyot.
Kagere, who penned a two-year deal fee last month, calmly slotted home past hapless goalie Steven Ntaribi before breaking into his trademark celebration, a self-styled dance in front of cheering home fans in red jerseys.