Charles Nyende
10 December 2011
Dar es Salaam — Uganda won a record 12th Cecafa Tusker Senior Challenge Cup on Saturday by beating Rwanda in a remarkable final at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
The gripping final ended locked at 2-2 after 120 minutes of play before Uganda Cranes won 3-2 in a post-match penalty shoot-out, even after Moses Oloya and Kavuma Habib missed the second and third shots.
Meddie Kagere, who shared the tournament’s Golden Boot award with his captain Olivier Kalekezi and Emmanuel Okwi, twice gave Rwanda the lead but Isaac Isinde and Hamisi Kizza cancelled the goals to send the game into a penalty shoot-out.
Amavubi Stars looked to be on their way to their second Challenge Cup title after Kagere and Haruna Niyonzima gave them an early 2-1 lead but Jean Baptist Mugiraneza, Eric Gesana and Albert Ngabo failed to score in succession as Kizza and Andrew Mwesiga added to Isaac Isinde’s first spot kick for the victory.
Extended their record
Uganda extended their record of most Cecafa wins while keeping their superiority over their south-western neighbours with their third finals win over them over the past one decade.
This was one of the most exciting Cecafa finals in recent years and neither team really deserved to lose.
“I cannot blame my players for losing. They gave it their best shot and when it went to penalties it was anyone’s game,” Rwanda coach Sredojevic Milutin said.
The pulsating match started at a cracking pace, speedy Dan Wagaluka forcing Rwanda goalkeeper Jean Claude Ndori to scramble out his delivery in the box six minutes into the game.
Emmanuel Okwi was next, twisting and turning in the box, but he could not direct his effort on target in the 10th minute.
The Simba striker was slower to react to another lightning Uganda attack three minutes later.
Kept up the pressure
Uganda kept up the pressure, Mike Seramunga’s long-range drive kept out by the agile Ndori on full stretch in the 28th minute.
Ndori again had to be alert to a Tonny Mawejje stinger as Uganda finished the first half as by far the stronger team.
Rwanda were forced to adjust to the enforced substitution of first-choice Gabriel Mugobe and Jerome Sina through injury in this half but came out menacingly at the restart.
Kagere opened the scoring with his fourth goal of the tournament, turning on the pace to beat Abel Daira at his far post on 50 minutes.
Kagere and Jean Claude Eranze wasted excellent chances to double the lead and Rwanda were made to pay in the 78th minute by defender Isaac Isinde, who stabbed home Kizza’s knockdown in predatory fashion.
Uganda had hardly celebrated when Rwanda regained their lead through the red-hot Kagere with another excellent finish from a tight position two minutes later. Emmanuel Okwi’s corner kick then sailed straight in.
The 30 minutes of extra time yielded nothing, leading the game into the penalty shoot-out.
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