APR FC forward Muhadjiri Hakizimana (C) vies for the ball with Rayon Sports midfielders Pierrot Kwizera (L) and Seph Niyonzima (R) in a past league match at Kigali Stadium
Rwanda’s APR FC has been invited to replace Ethiopia’s St. George at the forthcoming CECAFA Kagame Cup – slated for June 28 to July 12 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
According to CECAFA Secretary General Nicholas Musonye, APR FC joins Tanzanian champions SC Simba, Singida and Dakadaha of Somalia in Group C of the CECAFA Kagame Cup Tournament.
Musonye told KT Sports on Thursday, “APR FC and SIngida have been chosen to replace St. George of Ethiopia and Yanga from Tanzania. They are good replacements and will make the tournament even stronger,”
Fellow Tanzanian side Singida has also replaced Young Africans who pulled out of the region’s flagship tournament citing the need to recover after a rigorous season which left them with many injuries.
On the other hand, St. George, who was expected to make a comeback after a long absence on regional stage, withdrew to concentrate on defending their domestic league title.
The last minute inclusion of APR FC to East Africa’s biggest club competition means that Rwanda will have two teams at the two-week long tournament, along with Rayon Sports who have been drawn in Group B with Kenyan giants Gor Mahia, Lydia Ludic of Burundi and Djibouti’s Ports.
APR Fc managed by Serbian Ljubomir Petrović opens their campaign on Friday, June 29 when they face Singida at the National Stadium at 6pm in Group C.
Group A campaign will also be underway at Chamazi stadium which will host a double header with Zanzibar’s JKU hosting Ugandan league champions Vipers at 1pm before defending champions Azam FC takes on Kator FC of South Sudan.
Twelve teams placed in three groups will compete for the regional honors with top two in each group and the best two second runners-up making it to quarterfinals.
The regional reigning champions, Azam FC, won the 2015 Cecafa Kagame Cup after beating Kenya’s Gor Mahia 2-0 in the final.
Groups
Group A: Azam (TZ), Vipers SC (UGA), JKU (ZAN) and Kator FC (S.SUD)
Group B: Rayon Sports (RWA), Gor Mahia (KEN), Lydia Ludic (BUR) and Ports (DJI)
Group C: Singida (TZ), Simba (TZ), APR (RWA) and Dakadaha (SOM)
Opening Fixtures
Friday, 29/06/2018
Group A
JKU vs. Vipers (Chamazi, 1pm)
Azam vs Kator (Chamazi, 3pm)
Group C
Singida vs APR FC (National Stadium, 6pm)
Saturday, 30/06/2018
Group B
Ports vs Lydia Ludic (Chamazi, 3pm)
Group C
Simba vs Dakadaha (National Stadium, 1pm)
Sunday, 01/07/2018
Group B
Rayon Sports FC vs Gor Mahia (National Stadium, 1pm)
Group A
JKU vs Kator (Chamazi, 3pm)
Vipers vs Azam (Chamazi, 6pm)
