The Citizen (Dar es Salaam)
Imani Makongoro
11 December 2011
Dar es Salaam — Uganda were yesterday crowned the new East and Central African soccer champions after beating Rwanda 3-2 on postmatch penalties in the 2011 Cecafa Tusker Challenge Cup at Dar es Salaam’s National Stadium.
This is the 12th time for Uganda to win the trophy in the history of the competition. Uganda lost the trophy in 2009 in the hands of Tanzania Mainland.With the victory, Uganda was awarded a trophy; gold medals and $30,000 while Rwanda took home silver medals and $20,000. The third placed team, Sudan won bronze medal and $ 10,000.
The team drew 2-2 in both regular and extra time and the penalty shoot out applied.Ugandans, Isaac Isinde, Hamisi Kiiza and Andy Mwesigwa scored, while Moses Oloya and Kavuma Habib missed.Rwandese penalties were scored by Meddie Kagere and Haruna Niyonzima, while Eric Gasana, Bayisenge Emery and Robert Ngabo missed.Zanzibar President, Dr Ali Mohamed Shein presented the trophy to Ugandan skipper, Andy Mwesigwa.
Haruna Niyonzima who also plays for Tanzania Mainland and Kagame Cup champions, Young Africans, won the tournament best player award.Shadrack Nsajiwa of Young Africans won the award last year.
The best scorer award was clinched by three players, Meddie Kagere, Olivier Karekezi (all from Rwanda) and Emmanuel Okwi of Uganda while Sudanese goalie; Elmoiz Mahgoub was the tournament best goalkeeper.Rwanda head coach, Sredojevic “Micho” Millutin also won best coach award. Rwanda scored the leading goal in the 50th minute of the game through Meddie Kagere following a good pass from Jean Claude Iranzi.
Uganda equalized in the 77th through Isaac Isinde after receiving a good pass from Habib Kavuma.Ugandan celebration lasted one minute before Kagere scored the second goal for Rwanda and Hamis Kiiza equalized for Uganda in the 79th.In the first encounter, Sudan won 1-0 against Tanzania Mainland national soccer team, Kilimanjaro Stars to finish third in the competition.
Sudan dominated most of the time and scored their goal through Mohammed Sheiquldin in the 83rd minute with the hard shot just outside the danger area.Kilimanjaro Stars head coach; Charles Boniface Mkwasa said poor preparation made the team fail to defend the title.
Mkwasa said they did not play any international trial match ahead of the tournament and many fans were against them. He said the move affected the players and their morale was down.”It was difficult to defend the title with such preparations, we got little time and we did not play a single international trial match ahead of the tournament,” said Mkwasa.
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