It was a frustrating night for Rwandan giants APR FC as Tanzanian side Azam FC sealed a commanding 2-0 victory in the closing match of the Inkera y’Abahizi tournament at Amahoro Stadium.
APR’s night turned sour in the dying moments of the first half when goalkeeper Ishimwe Pierre mishandled a back pass, gifting Azam’s Zidane Sereri the opening goal in the 45th minute. The defensive lapse silenced the home fans and gave the visitors the upper hand heading into the break.
The second half brought little relief for the Army side. In the 54th minute, Yahya Zaydi doubled Azam’s lead with a composed finish, punishing APR’s shaky backline.
Despite desperate attempts to respond — including a missed penalty by Djibril Ouattara and several close chances from Mamadou Sy and William Togui — APR failed to break through Azam’s disciplined defense, with goalkeeper Zuberi Foba standing tall between the posts.
Frustration boiled over as APR players picked up yellow cards and struggled to connect passes, while Azam calmly absorbed the pressure and managed the game effectively until the final whistle.
The result leaves APR at bottom of the four-team tournament, which served as preparation for their CAF Champions League campaign. Police FC emerged winners of the competition, bagging the Inkera y’Abahizi trophy and Rwf 5 million prize money after scoring the most goals across the tournament. Azam settled for second place, AS Kigali third, while APR finished empty-handed.
The evening was not only about football action. Fans at Amahoro were also treated to entertainment, new kit unveilings by APR, and a show of appreciation to sponsors and visiting teams.
For APR, however, the night will be remembered for costly mistakes and wasted opportunities — a sharp reminder that much improvement is needed before facing continental giants in the CAF Champions League.
