Monday, July 27 Group A Fixtures Gor Mahia vs Vipers SC – 15:00 Garde Républicaine vs APR FC – 18:00 Venue: Kigali Pelé Stadium APR FC will be looking to put their disastrous start to the CECAFA Kagame Cup behind them when they face Djibouti’s Garde Républicaine in a crucial Group A clash on Monday at Kigali Pelé Stadium. The Rwandan champions suffered one of their heaviest defeats in recent years in their opening match, falling to a shock 5-0 loss against Kenyan giants Gor Mahia. The result left fans and former players frustratedand increased pressure on head coach Taleb Abderrahim and his players to deliver an immediate response. Despite the setback, APR captain Djibril Ouattara insists the team has moved on from the defeat and is fully focused on getting its campaign back on track. ALSO READ: Five-star Gor Mahia thrash APR in CECAFA Kagame Cup “We are ready for the game and we want to bring back the joy to the fans,” Ouattara said. The striker admitted that the defeat to Gor Mahia was difficult to accept but believes the players have learned from their mistakes and are determined to respond positively. With their qualification hopes hanging in the balance, Monday’s clash could prove decisive for the home side. Ouattara insists APR still has “everything to play for.” A victory would not only revive their CECAFA Kagame Cup campaign but also restore confidence following the heavy defeat to Gor Mahia. APR know that anything less than a win could seriously damage their chances of progressing to the knockout stage, making Monday’s encounter a must-win fixture. Coach Taleb has also promised an improved performance after the humiliating opening defeat, saying his team has worked hard to address the mistakes that proved costly against Gor Mahia. Standing in the Rwandan champions’ way are Garde Républicaine, who are equally desperate to bounce back after opening their campaign with a 3-0 defeat to Uganda’s Vipers SC. The Djiboutian side struggled to contain the Ugandan champions and now face another difficult challenge against an APR team determined to restore pride. With both teams searching for their first points of the tournament, an intense and competitive contest is expected at Kigali Pelé Stadium.
