Friday, June 26 Game 2 Police HC 34-28 APR HC Police HC lead series 2-0 Police Handball Club moved to within one victory of retaining the Rwanda Handball Championship after defeating APR HC 34-28 in Game 2 of the playoff finals on Saturday afternoon. The encounter was fiercely contested, with APR HC making the brighter start and taking an early lead. However, a lapse in concentration allowed Police HC to wrestle back control of the match. Once they moved ahead, Police never looked back, dictating the tempo and gradually extending their advantage before sealing a convincing six-goal victory. ALSO READ: Handball: Police, Kiziguro SS win Genocide memorial tourney The result gives Police HC a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-five finals series, leaving them just one win away from successfully defending their league title. Head coach Antoine Ntabanganyimana praised his team's focus and tactical discipline after responding strongly to the narrow 29-28 defeat they suffered against APR in their previous meeting. Today we were really focused because we knew this second match was very important for us. We told the players to stay solid, play an aggressive attack, and maintain a compact defense. That gave us many opportunities to score while protecting our own half, Ntabanganyimana said. Despite APR's strong start, the Police coach said his side remained patient and executed their game plan when it mattered most. APR started very well and pushed us to our limits, but we managed to stay composed and eventually win 34-28, he added. With a 2-0 advantage in the series, Police are now firmly in control and can wrap up the championship with victory in Game 3. We're leading 2-0, but the job is not finished. If we win the next match, the championship is over. Last year we also beat APR 3-0 in the finals, and we'll speak with the players to make sure we remain focused and perform well again, said Ntabanganyimana. Game 3 now presents Police HC with the opportunity to clinch the national title, while APR HC must win to keep their championship hopes alive.
