The Citizen<\/a> (Dar\u00a0es\u00a0Salaam)<\/p>\nMajuto Omary<\/p>\n
26 November 2011<\/p>\n
\nDar es Salaam \u2014 A first half goal by Olivier Kalekezi is all Rwanda’s Amavudi needed to silence hosts Kilimanjaro Stars in a Group A match of the Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup at the National Stadium yesterday.<\/p>\n
Kelekezi beat an offside trick by the hosts’ defenders to easily beat goalie Juma Kaseja with a close range shot in the 23rd minute and spoil the day for the home fans.<\/p>\n
The disappointing defeat means Boniface Mkwasa’s team must win their remaining matches against Zimbabwe and Djibouti if they are to make it into the next stage of the regional tournament.<\/p>\n
Yesterday’s match started at a cracking pace with both teams pressing upfront relentlessly right from the start in search of an early goal.<\/p>\n
The hosts, needing a win so as underline their quest to retain the title, almost broke the deadlock seconds into the match when Mbwana Samatta swiftly latched onto a Nurdin Bakari pass near the box, only to see his effort go wide.<\/p>\n
Rwanda, playing a free-flow football, responded immediately and went close two times in the second and minutes.<\/p>\n
Kilimanjaro Stars survived another scare in the third minute when goalie Kaseja was forced to dive full length to clear a sizzling effort by Olivier Kalekezi.<\/p>\n
A few seconds later, Kaseja whio had a busy afternoon, denied the Amavubi a goal when he bravely parried off a close range strike by Meddie Kagere for an abortive corner.<\/p>\n
Kili Stars regained their rhythm after a quarter an hour and briefly dominated the midfield through Nurdin Bakari, Haruna Moshi and Ramadhan Chombo.<\/p>\n
The hosts, enjoying a friendly support, created a number of chances in the first half, but a combination of inept finishing and poor coordination upfront cost them dearly.<\/p>\n
Coach Mkwasa blamed the defeat on lack of concentration, on the part of his defenders, saying they failed to contain the marauding Amavubi strikers.<\/p>\n
“My defenders were not good enough today, but I am sure we’ll win our next two matches and sail through,” he said.<\/p>\n
Line-ups:<\/strong><\/p>\nKili Stars-<\/strong> Juma Kaseja, Shomari Kapombwe, Ibrahim Mwaipopo\/Juma Jabu, Said Morad, Juma Nyoso, Shaaban Nditi, Mrisho Ngasa, Nurdin Bakari, Mbwana Samatta\/Mussa Mgosi, Haruna Moshi\/Thomas Ulimwengu and Ramadhan Chombo<\/p>\nRwanda-<\/strong> Jean Claude Ndori, Albert Ngabo, Charles Tibingana, Ismail Nshutiyamagara, Eric Gasana, Jean Baptist Mugiraneza, Andrew Buteera, Meddie Kagere, FredericNdaka, Olivier Kalekezi and Haruna Niyonzim<\/p>\nAllAfrica – All the Time<\/p>\n
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