Confidence key to APR’s win over Sunrise – Mulisa

Saturday APR FC 4-0 Sunrise FC (4-0)SC Kiyovu 1-1 Marines (1-2)Amagaju FC 0-0 La Jeunesse (2-0) Bugesera FC vs AS Muhanga (postponed)Gicumbi FC 1-1 Police FC (1-3) APR head coach Jimmy Mulisa has said that confidence helped his side beat Sunrise FC 4-0 on Saturday to reach the 2017 Peace Cup quarter-finals. Following a goalless draw from the first leg earlier on, APR knew they needed to take the game to their opponents in the second leg to avoid an early exit from the competition that offers them the only chance to end the season with a trophy. With Rayon Sports home and dry in the race for the Azam Rwanda Premier League title, APR would represent Rwanda in next year’s CAF Confederation Cup if they won the Peace Cup. APR academy product Fiston Nkezingabo gave them the lead in the 28th minute, before Issa Bigirimana, who scored a brace, netted his first and APR’s second two minutes after half-time. Another APR academy product Maxime Sekamana scored the third goal in the 51st minute to end Andre Casa Mbungo’s hope of lifting the Peace Cup for the third time as coach having previously won it with AS Kigali and Police FC. Bigirimana completed the rout with his second of the match in the 69th minute after good work from midfielder Muhadjir Hakizimana. APR continued to dominate and could have increased their tally had Nkezingabo, Herve Rugwiro and Muhadjir not wasted clear opportunities. “We wanted to play our game and my players did what I was expecting. What I have been doing in the past of couple of weeks was to motivate them and give them confidence, and that’s why we got this results. I tell my players not to lose confidence even when things are not going right,” Mulisa said. The former APR and Amavubi forward added: “We don’t have a choice but to win the Peace Cup, we know we can’t win the league but we can win this competition.” Sunrise FC looked unconvincing throughout the game but head coach Andrew Casa Mbungo later said: “I cannot blame my players or myself because we gave what we have. We played against a well-motivated team and, overall, I think they deserve what they got.” In Saturday’s other fixtures, 2015 winners Police FC eliminated league strugglers Gicumbi FC on a 3-1 aggregate following a 1-1 draw in the second leg at Stade de Gicumbi. Innocent Seninga’s team had won the first leg 2-1. Aloys Kanamugire’s SC Kiyovu were knocked out by Marines FC 2-1 over the two legs. The Ruvabu-based side had won the first leg 1-0 at Umuganda Stadium and a 1-1 draw in the second leg at Mumena Stadium was enough to see them through to the last eight. Amagaju FC reached the quarter finals without kicking a ball after their opponents La Jeunesse failed to turn up for the second leg clash in Nyamagabe. Amagaju had won the first leg 2-0. Meanwhile, Bugesera FC’s second leg game with second division side AS Muhanga, was moved to Tuesday as the district (Muhanga) was commemorating the victims of 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. The top flight league side lost the first leg 1-0. editorial@newtimes.co.rw