Morocco’s Anass Moussa was crowned champion of the inaugural SportsBiz Africa Esports Cup eFootball Mobile competition after defeating Madagascar’s Sedra in a dramatic final at BK Arena on Saturday, September 12. Moussa, who competes under the gaming name AN10_Tienes, recovered from a 2-1 defeat in the opening game to dominate the second encounter 3-0 and force the final into a decisive third game. The third game ended goalless, sending the title to a penalty shootout. Moussa held his nerve to win 4-2, converting four of his five attempts and saving two of Sedra’s penalties. Sedra did not take his final kick after Moussa had already secured the victory. ALSO READ: Rwandan quartet begins EA Sports FC 26 battle in Kigali After nearly 10 hours of competition involving eight players representing eight African countries, Moussa became the first champion of the tournament’s eFootball Mobile category. The competition is part of SportsBiz Africa Week, which brought together sports, business, golf and esports activities in Kigali. “I am so excited. I can’t even say anything,” Moussa said moments after securing the title. The Moroccan attributed his comeback to the experience he has gained from competing in several tournaments. “Every minute in the game is a chance to get a goal because that is football,” he said. His composure was tested again in the shootout. After missing his first penalty, Moussa converted his remaining four attempts and saved two of Sedra’s kicks to clinch the title. He also encouraged young African gamers to believe they can build successful careers in esports. “You need to dream, and you can be like me. Let us dream together,” he said before dedicating his victory to his home city of Al Hoceima in Morocco. ALSO READ: Golf, esports and investment headline SportsBiz Africa Week in Kigali For Sedra, the final ended just short of the title after an impressive run through the competition. The Madagascan admitted that pressure affected his performance in the decisive game. “In the last game, I was a little stressed and felt some pressure,” he said. “It is tough to lose like that, but congratulations to my opponent.” Munezero falls short on home soil While Moussa celebrated the title, Rwanda’s Olivier Munezero Hugue ended his home campaign with one win, one draw and five defeats, collecting four points. Mumeze needed a victory against Kenya’s Hanningtone Kiplagat in his final group match to advance to the knockout stage, but the defeat ended his qualification hopes. Kiplagat progressed and went on to reach the semifinals. Reflecting on his campaign, Munezero pointed to the gap in competitive exposure between him and some of the continent’s stronger players, particularly their ability to read games and adapt their approach. “It is very disappointing,” he said of his campaign while representing Rwanda on home soil. However, he said the experience also highlighted areas where he needs to improve. “I will continue practising and playing more competitions so that I can gain experience as fast as I can,” he said. Munezero believes greater exposure to continental and international competitions would give Rwandan players more opportunities to test themselves against stronger opponents and help close the gap. Rwandans exit EA SPORTS FC 26 race Attention now turns to the EA SPORTS FC 26 competition, where all four Rwandan representatives were eliminated in the group stage. Sami Mohamed Yasin came closest to advancing, finishing fifth in Group A with nine points from three wins and four defeats. Praise Stevens Nyamwasa collected seven points in Group D after two wins, one draw and four defeats, while Trésor Irasubiza managed one win from seven matches in Group B. Franklin Gacinya finished his Group C campaign without a victory. The top four players from each of the four groups advanced to the double-elimination stage, leaving 16 competitors to battle for the EA SPORTS FC 26 crown at BK Arena on Sunday, September 13. With the inaugural eFootball Mobile champion already crowned, attention now shifts to who will survive the EA SPORTS FC 26 knockout battles and close SportsBiz Africa’s esports competition as champion.
