Sunday, January 18 Al Merrikh 0-0 APR Al Merrikh and APR FC played out a goalless draw in a Rwanda Premier League match at Amahoro Stadium on Sunday afternoon, January 18. There were angry scenes among APR FC supporters after the club was denied what appeared to be a late match winner when Dauda Yussif’s long-range screamer was controversially ruled offside. APR FC dominated much of the game and created several scoring opportunities, but Hakim Kiwanuka, Bosco Ruboneka, and Denis Omedi all struggled to convert their chances. Both sides showed attacking intent from the outset of the first half as they aimed to close the gap at the top of the table. However, despite the open play, they were unable to break the deadlock before the interval. After the restart, Darko Novic’s men maintained their momentum and fashioned chances through Faisal Ishag, Gilles Razafimaro, and Daouda Ba, but they failed to make them count. APR, on the other hand, enjoyed greater possession, pinning Al Merrikh into their own half and closing down spaces to deny the Sudanese giants room to operate. As the match approached its conclusion, APR thought they had secured victory when Yussif fired in a powerful strike from distance, only for the officials to rule it out for offside. The decision left APR players, head coach Taleb Abderrahim, and fans visibly unimpressed. “This is too much, we’re not going anywhere,” angry APR supporters chanted while pointing at the referees. Following the draw, APR FC remain third in the league standings with 33 points from 16 matches, while Al Merrikh sit fourth with 31 points. Al Hilal lead the table with 35 points, followed closely by Police FC on 34.
