Top-flight sides hunt for MTN Peace Cup

Peace Cup 1/8 round APR Fc    v   Musanze Atraco    v   Zebres Kiyovu    v   Military Marines  v   Electrogaz

Tuesday, April 28, 2009
APR players celebrate after winning last yearu2019s MTN Peace Cup. The defending champions take on Musanze in the quarterfinal this afternoon without eight key players. (File photo).

Peace Cup 1/8 round

APR Fc    v   Musanze
Atraco    v   Zebres
Kiyovu    v   Military
Marines  v   Electrogaz
Kibuye    v   Police
Amagaju v   AS Kigali

APR have been hit with injury scare ahead of their crucial tie against second division side Musanze in the MTN Peace Cup due this afternoon at Nyamirambo stadium.

Record eight-time Peace Cup winner will negotiate the winning boundaries this afternoon without eight key players
Bokungu Ndjoli (knee), Jean Bosco Uwacu (ankle), Ismail Nshutinamagara (Achilles), Labama Bokota (hip), Patrick Mutesa Mafisango (leg), Jean Claude Iranzi (hip), Hegman Ngoma and Elias Uzamukunda (ankle) are all out.

Bokungu, Mafisango, Uwacu and Uzamukunda sustained injuries during the 1-0 loss to rivals Atraco in the league last weekend.

Bokota, who was reported to have a fever six weeks ago for only to succumb to a knee injury during training and has not gained full fitness.

Nshutinamagara, Iranzi and Ngoma have been down after APR’s 22-0 thrashing of Etoile de l’est in the last round of Peace Cup. Their absence leaves Dutch coach Erik Paske with a tough puzzled.

"I will talk to the club doctor and see who has fully recovered and the decision to name the final team will be known late in the evening Paske told Times Sport yesterday.

Moses Odhiambo, Djabir Mutarambirwa, Fuadi Ndayisenga, Elias Ntaganda, Kabange Twite and Mbuyu Twite, Haruna Niyonzima will still provide enough ammunition for the defending champions.

Elsewhere, Atraco face second division side Zebres at Kicukiro. Rayon Sport got an automatic qualification to the quarter-finals after their would-be opponents Espoir or Etincelles were kicked out of the competition for failure to play their preliminary round matches.

La Jeunesse will play its 1/8 round tie against the winner between Mukura and Gisovu tea factory. Mukura are away to Gisovu this afternoon in the second leg of the preliminary round.

The winner of this year’s MTN sponsored Peace Cup whose final will be played on July 4 will scoop Frw. 10 millions. The second, third and fourth clubs will pocket Frw. 7m, Frw.4m and Frw. 2.5m respectively.

APR won last year’s edition after a 4-1 drubbing of Atraco in the final played at Nyamirambo stadium.

Ends