Joel Albert Mphande, Police FC head coach has warned APR that there is still much to play for after the two teams drew 0-0 in the Peace cup quarter-finals first-leg on Friday afternoon at Kicukiro Stadium.
The two teams clash again in the return leg on Thursday with both sides eyeing a spot in the Peace Cup semi-finals
"This is not the result that we wanted, we deserved better. However, I am grateful we didn’t concede. We will go into the return-leg with full force, looking for a scoring draw or victory,” the Zambian-born tactician told Sunday Sport in a post-match interview.
Following the two archrivals’ goalless draw, APR will host Police in a decider on July 26 – with the aggregate winner progressing to the last four.
The law enforcers will face APR without central defender Fiston Munezero who was got a red card on Friday after headbutting APR forward Muhadjiri Hakizimana in stoppage time.
When asked to comment on Munezero’s red card, Mphande laughed it off, saying that "that was total stupidity, we shouldn’t be still seeing such in this era. I will handle it in the dressing room.”
Meanwhile, his APR counterpart Ljubomir ‘Ljupko’ Petrovic applauded his goalie Yves Kimenyi for keeping a clean-sheet, admitting that, "Police could have scored once or twice but Yves (Kimenyi) and defenders were alert. The mission now is to win the return-leg.”
While holders APR will need a victory to reach semi-finals, a scoring draw will be enough for the 2016 winners – Police FC- to advance.
In other quarter-final matches on Friday, Sunrise beat Bugesera 2-0 at Nyagatare grounds whilst Mukura overcame Amagaju 1-0 at Huye Stadium.Gael Duhayindavyi scored Mukura’s goal.
The second-leg ties start Monday (tomorrow) with Amagaju hosting Mukura at Nyagasenyi Stadium while Bugesera will be up against Sunrise at Nyamata playground.
The 2018 Peace Cup final is scheduled for August 8, with the winners earning the right to represent the country at the 2019 CAF Confederation Cup.
Should APR see off Police and go all the way to win the tournament, AS Kigali who finished second in the league will represent Rwanda in the continent’s second biggest football club tournament.
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