Former AFC Leopards coach wins title in Rwanda

• Cassa Mbungo led AS Kigali to the Peace Cup title
• He has coached AFC Leopards and Bandari in Kenya
• Kigali will play in the CAF Confederation Cup next season

Former AFC Leopards and Bandari FC head coach Andre Cassa Mbungo has won a title in his native Rwanda, less than four months after returning home following his sacking from Bandari FC.

Mbungo was fored from Bandari at the start of February after a poor run with the Coastal side and went back home, joining capital city side AS Kigali.

On Tuesday, he led the team to the final of the Peace Cup, where they beat arch city rivals APR.

The tactician joined Bandari in the 2020-21 campaign leading them to a respectable forth place finish in the FKF Premier League, but the fortunes turned sour this season when he went on a 10-match winless streak, leading to the club asking him to leave.

Anthony Kimani took charge and successfully guided them to a third spot finish.

APR’s double dream

As Kigali win teh Rwandese Peace Cup. PHOTO/AS Kigali

Meanwhile, APR’s dream of clinching a season double in Rwanda was ended after losing by a solitary goal to Kigali. APR had just won the Rwandese Premier League last weekend and had hoped to double it up with the Cup.

However, Kigali ensured they broke that dream and clinched the trophy which assures them a place in the CAF Confederation Cup next season.

This is the fourth time that Kigali are winning the Peace Cup and the second for coach Mbungo who has also won it with Police FC and AS Kigali in 2013. He also won it with Police FC in 2015.

In the final, Kigali were the hungrier side and they got the goal on the half hour mark through Rachid Kalisa. The Kigali side was being fueled upfront by the experienced skipper Haruna Niyonzima and Fabrice Mugheni.

In the second half, APR came back hungrier and more determined to get back into the tie and go for the double. However, they wasted a myriad of chances with Fitina Omborenga guilty of most misses.

Elsewhere, Tanzanian premier League giants Simba SC have appointed Serbian tactician Zoran Manojlović on a two-year contract to take charge from next season. The Serb takes over after the side fired their Spanich coach Pablo Martin after the side was beaten by arch rivals Yanga in the semi-finals of the Azam Cup.

African experience

New Simba SC coach Zoran

Manojlović has plenty of experience on the continent having served in the same capacity at Premeiro de Agosto (Angola), Wydad Athletics Club (Morocco), Al-Hilal Club (Sudan) and CR Belouizdad (Algeria).

The coach also handled the Saudi Pro League side with Al Tai for a few months last year.

The tactician is expected to officially take charge in pre-season with the current campaign ending on Wednesday. Suleiman Matola has been holding brief temporarily.

Simba has endured a tough season after losing the Premier League title to bitter rivals Yanga while the same side eliminated them from the only tournament they had hopes of clinching a title in, the Azam Cup.

Manojlović will now have a huge task of turning Simba SC back to a winning team.