CECAFA Kagame Cup 2025: KMC Survive Late Mlandage Scare to Open Group B with Victory

CECAFA Kagame Cup 2025: KMC Survive Late Mlandage Scare to Open Group B with Victory

By Sports Hunter South Sudan News | Dar es Salaam | September 3, 2025

KMC FC launched their CECAFA Kagame Cup 2025 campaign with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Mlandage FC, surviving a tense stoppage-time comeback in what turned out to be a pulsating Group B opener at the Azam Complex in Dar es Salaam.

The Tanzanian Premier League side looked to be cruising after taking a commanding 3-0 lead, but two late goals from the Zanzibari outfit set up a dramatic finish that nearly saw the points shared.

 Bright Start for KMC

KMC began with urgency and purpose. In the 18th minute, Juma Saguwe opened the scoring after finishing a flowing move that cut through Mlandage’s backline.

With Redemtus Jeremia Mussa dictating tempo from midfield, KMC dominated possession and transitions. The pressure paid off again just after the break when Rashid Mohammed fired in a low strike in the 47th minute to double the lead.

Abdallah Said then made it 3-0 in the 89th minute, seemingly putting the game out of reach.

Mlandagedage’s Late Response

Just when the result looked settled, Mlandage FC sparked into life.

A foul in the box gave Abed Ama the chance to pull one back from the penalty spot in the 90th minute, and he made no mistake. Barely two minutes later, substitute Aimar Hafidh stunned the crowd with a brilliant solo effort in the 90+2 minute, bringing the score to 3-2.

KMC were forced to dig deep to hold on, ultimately doing just enough to secure all three points in an opening match that had everything — goals, drama, and nerves.

Group B Outlook

Earlier in the day, APR FC of Rwanda defeated Bumamuru FC of Burundi 2-0, meaning both APR and KMC now sit joint-top of Group B with three points each. APR edge the standings on goal difference.

Position Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts

1️⃣ APR FC 🇷🇼 1 1 0 0 2 0 +2 3

2️⃣ KMC FC 🇹🇿 1 1 0 0 3 2 +1 3

3️⃣ Mlandage FC 🇿🇲 1 0 0 1 2 3 -1 0

4️⃣ Bumamuru FC 🇧🇮 1 0 0 1 0 2 -2 0

Mlandage and Bumamuru will need to bounce back quickly to stay in contention for a place in the knockout stage.

 Man of the Match: Redemtus Jeremia Mussa (KMC FC)

 Acommanding presence in midfield, Mussa was the engine behind KMC’s victory. He won duels, launched attacks, and controlled the rhythm throughout the match. Even in the tense final minutes, his leadership helped steady the side under pressure.

🔜 What’s Next in Group B

📅 September 6, 2025 – Matchday 2

APR FC vs Mlandage FC – Can Mlandage recover from their narrow loss to challenge the group favorites?

KMC FC vs Bumamuru FC – A chance for KMC to make it two wins from two and edge closer to the semifinals.

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