Rayon book quarter-finals spot as APR exit Cecafa Kagame Cup

Thursday Group B Lydia Ludic 1-3 Rayon Sports AS Ports 0-2 Gor Mahia Quarter-finals Sunday Gor Mahia vs Vipers Simba SC vs AS Ports Monday Azam vs Rayon Singida Utd vs JKU Rayon Sports have booked a spot to quarter-finals of the ongoing CECAFA Kagame Cup after beating Burundian side Lydia Ludic 3-1 in their last Group B match on Thursday at Chamazi Complex Stadium in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. However, Rwandan champions APR suffered a devastating group stage exit despite a thrashing Somali side Dakadaha 4-1 on Wednesday in Group C – their only victory out of three games. Prior to Wednesday’s win, the military side had endured two identical 2-1 defeats to Singida United and Simba SC (both Tanzanian sides) in their first two games. Also on Thursday in Group B, AS Ports lost to Gor Mahia 2-0, thanks to Philemon Otieno and Charles Momanyi goals in the 13th and 41st minute respectively. The Burundian champions, Lydia Ludic, went home after losing to Rayon Sports 1-3, goals scored by central defender Abdul Rwatubyaye in the first-half and second-half strikes from youngster Kevin Muhire and skipper Pierrot Kwizera. Dan Wagaruka opened the scoring in the 20th minute to hand the Burundians an early, but it was not long before sensational center-back Rwatubyaye levelled nine minutes later. Four minutes into the second-half, midfielder Muhire netted a second goal for the Blues before Burundi international Kwizera chipped in a third goal to earn the much needed three points. By sending Lydia Ludic packing, the 1998 Cecafa champions eased in the last eight to set date with Uganda’s Vipers in quarter-finals – to be played on Sunday. It was a must-win tie for Rayon to progress to the quarter-finals round for Rayon Sports but their win eliminated another Rwandan team, APR, who hammered Dakadaha 4-1 the previous day. In Group B, Gor Mahia and Rayon Sports finished top and second respectively, both with five poinrs each. Djibouti’s AS Ports finished in third position with 4 points while Lydia Ludic finished at the bottom with one point. After the climax of Group C matches on Wednesday, Simba SC and Singida finished with seven points apiece but the former have a superior goal difference of five to Singida’s two. Rwanda’s APR Fc finished third with three points and a +1 goal difference while Dakadaha FC exited the tournament after failing to garner a point in three matches. Two Best Losers’ Spot The two qualified teams as best losers joined the top two group leaders in the last eight are AS Ports who finished in Group B and JKU who finished third in Group A. Zanzibar’s JKU secured the first available spot following their 2-1 loss to Azam FC, a result which left them in third spot with four points in Group A. Reigning champions Azam FC tops Group A with seven points, followed in second spot by Uganda’s Vipers SC who have five points while JKU. Kator FC of South Sudan left Dar lying bottom of the group with no point in three matches played. In quarter-finals, Gor Mahia will face Vipers and Simba play AS Ports on Sunday while on Monday, Rayon Sports will have a mountain to climb against defending champions Azam, with Singida United up against JKU in the last quarter-final clash. editorial@newtimes.co.rw