SOFAPAKA FC

KENYA champions Sofapaka took the Cecafa Kagame Cup bronze medal and left the championship with their heads high here yesterday.

The Kenyans beat outgoing champions Atraco of Rwanda 2-1 during their third place play-off at Amahoro Stadium. Abbas Akinyemi shot Sofapaka in the lead with a 20th minute goal and then Laurent Tumba added in the 22nd minute to make it look like the Kenyans would race to a rousing win against Atraco who won the title in Khartoum, Sudan last year.

However, Dady Birory scored in the 37th minute to set up a most exciting battle till the end. But the Kenyans, under coach Sam Ssimbwa who, was on the bench for the first time since being banned for two matches, looked extremely confident in a packed stadium.

The Kenyans, playing in the championship for the first time did well. They, in fact, were eliminated by a controversial goal in their 1-0 loss to APR in the semi-finals on Wednesday.

Sofapaka results: URA 0-3 Sofapaka; Simba 0-1 Sofapaka; Sofapaka 3-0 Atraco; Sofapaka 0 (7) – 0 (6) Rayon; APR 1-0 Sofapaka; Sofapaka 2-1 Atraco.

TEAMS:-

SOFAPAKA – 29. Wilson Obungu: 6. Said Idrissa Rajab, 5. Edgar Ochieng’, 7. James Situma, 2. Harry Gentle, 20. Humphrey Mieno Ochieng, 21. Hussein Abdulrazak, 8. Laurent Tumba (3. Hugo Nzoka, 70), 9. Bob Mugalia, 12. John Baraza (22. Evans Wandera, 75’), 24. Abbas Akinyemi

Reserves not used – 1. Zachariah Onyango, 13. Kevin Ochieng’, 18. Tafadzwa Dondo, 17. Salum “Kinje” Khamis

Scorers – 24. Abbas Akinyemi (20’), 8. Laurent Tumba (22’)

Coach – Sam Ssimbwa (Uganda)

ATRACO – 22. Ismail Mfashingabo: 3. Godfrey Katerega, 5. Amani Uwiringiyimana, 6. D’Amour Uwimana, 10. Jimmy Butera, 11. Mike Ssebaringa, 12. Ronald Kamoga, 14. Hamisi Kitagenda, 16. Dady Birory, 17. Jean Lomami (24. Andre Lomami, 75’), 23. Berch Bamuna

Reserves – 1. Alexis Ganza, 4. Donatien Tuyizere, 8. Ismail Habumugisha, 13. Yahya Seburungo

Scorer – 16. Dady Birory (37’)

Coach – Sam Timbe (Uganda)

Rwanda champions APR, twice past winners, were 1-0 up against St George’s of Ethiopia, three minutes into extra time of the Cecafa Kagame Cup Club Championship at the Amahoro Stadium on Saturday night.

The two sides were meeting for the fourth time this year, having played two friendlies in Kigali and one in Addis Ababa recently. On February 7, APR beat St George’s 1-0 in Kigali but the Ethiopians won 2-1 the following day.

In Addis Ababa on February 22, St George’s hammered APR 3-0. The two sides were warming up for African Champions League competition in which APR went farthest, just falling short of making the group phase at the hands of Champions League champions TP Mazembe of Congo [Kinshasa].

APR was counting on home advantage to win the final because statistics suggestthat St George’s might have had the edge. Mitcho Sredojevic, the Serbian coaching the Ethiopians had said his team was more cohesive. He acknowledged the quality of APR players but added: “We can exploit the fact they are too individualistic. My team moves as a good unit and I think we shall overcome.

“I shall assemble a tactful team that can counter their individual talent. I know they [APR] don’t play effectively as a team.”

The Ethiopian boys proved too good for Atraco in extra- time on Thursday after a 1-1 normal time score. Said Salahadin struck in the 100th minute and Adame Girma added to his 20th minute opener, a 119th goal to knock out Atraco, surprise winners of the competition in Khartoum, Sudan last year. Berch Bahuma had tied 1-1 for Atraco with a 48th minute penalty when the St George’s defender captain Samson Mulegeta handled the ball in the box.

Today, St George’s were crucially missing Patrick Ochan, the Uganda Cranes international defender who badly injured his elbow in the quarter-finals against Djibouti Telkom on Tuesday. Ochan will be out even for the Cranes matches for eight weeks, said his doctor.

Erick Paske, the Dutch coach of APR said his team had the men to beat St George’s. But APR werel missing the services of two starting players who were shown cards in two knock-out stage matches. Mutamba Tchimanga was sent off on Wednesday against Sofapaka and Albert Ngabo accumulated two yellow cards. APR’s route to the finals has had three red cards -- out of the five in the entire tournament so far.

Amaharo has been a happy hunting ground for APR in the Cecafa Kagame Cup finals. They lost to Tusker of Kenya in 2000 but in 2004 APR lifted clinched their first title when they beat Kenya’s Ulinzi Stars 3-1 in the final. Three years later, APR edged Uganda Revenue Authority 2-1 to take home a second trophy.

It is the first final for St George’s. The furthest they had gone was in 2007 when they finished third. President Paul Kagame, the Cecafa patron is the expected as chief guest on the final day. The final will be officiated by the Ugandan Fifa Referee Ali Kalyango.

The champions’ top prize will be U$ 30,000 [Sh2.2 million], silver medalists $20,000 [Sh 1.5m] and bronze $10,000 [Sh750, 000].

By Gishinga Njoroge

Source: www.kpl.co.ke