Players expected to set Cecafa Cup quarters, semis ablaze

Dar es Salaam. One thing that many observers want to know about major sporting tournaments such as Cecafa Kagame Cup, is players who light up the big stage.

Organised by the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (Cecafa), the regional club championship has a history of showcasing some of the region’s brightest young talents before they are catapulted to stardom. With this year’s tournament rolling into its third day today, fans have started guessing teams that will make it to the quarter-finals. More than 200 players are in Dar es Salaam with their clubs for the championship. So which star players stand out above the rest?

What better way to know them than perusing the top 20 players Sports Extra has listed here? We have ranked them based not only on their skill levels but also their importance to their clubs and projected impact at the tournament.

This is to ensure we feature the right players who have what it takes to make a splash in the 16-day championship. Interestingly, some of them have already showed that they have all it takes to stand out above the rest. They will, certainly, be key factors in deciding if their teams will come out of this stage (group stage) victorious or not. Here are top 20 players expected to play a key role for their respective teams in the remaining group stage matches, quarter finals, semi-finals and final and set this year’s tournament ablaze

Haruna Niyonzima (Young Africans)

He is one of the longest serving members at Mainland giants Young Africans and the Rwandan attacking midfielder is a joy to watch. His silky touch and quick thinking makes him a gem in attacking midfield with the ability to lay that exquisite last pass.

He is fondly referred to as ‘Fabregas’ in reference to Spanish and Chelsea FC assists master Cesc Solar Fabregas. Yanga signed him from Rwandan army side APR.

Kipre Tche Tche (Azam FC)

The Ivorian makes players around look so good thanks to his never ending runs on and off the ball.

Tche Tche has a good understanding with twin brother Kipre Herman Balou as well as Salum Abubakar in the midfield. He is the best description of a box to box midfielder who can also play as a support striker behind the number 9.

Nadir Haroub (Yanga)

The Taifa Stars skipper is aiming at winning his third Cecafa Kagame Cup gold medal with Young Africans.

Nicknamed Cannavaro thanks to his attributes that many relate to Italy’s 2006 World Cup winning captain, Nadir is a good defender that reads the game so well and his command and organisation of the backline makes his team tick.

Meddie Kagere (Gor Mahia, Kenya)

At one time, many had written off the Ugandan born ex-Rwanda international but he seems to have rejuvenated his once prolific career at Gor Mahia. Kagere is amongst the most experienced players in the tournament and his pace, trickery and lethal foot will keep defenders on tenterhooks. If he can just lift his form from KPL to Kagame Cup, Gor Mahia will have a shot at the trophy they last won in 1985.

Muzamir Mutyaba (KCC FC, Uganda)

He has just joined the 2013/14 champions from SC Victoria University and is the best signing the club has so far made in the window.

Not so many players use their brains more than their bodies but Mutyaba does. It has been interesting seeing him and Masiko do their thing in the middle of the pack, and how KCC perform in their next games will depend on this boy’s performance.

He is a big stage player as witnessed on the Uganda national U-23 side and the Cranes in the Championship of African Nations (CHAN) qualifiers.

Emery Bayisenge (APR, Rwanda)

As rare a specie as ball playing centre backs but in Emery Bayisenge, APR have one. The Rwandan international and U-23 skipper has gone through all the ranks right from the U-17. He is afraid of no opponent and his decision making is never questionable. He knows when to clear from danger and when to pass. On top of all that, he is a dead ball expert with a good conversion rate of free kicks especially those near the 18 yard box. Had he not suffered injury towards the end of the last tournament held in Kigali, Rwanda, maybe APR would be the defending champions. He is currently linked with a move to Austria to second division side Lask Linz FC

Michael Olunga (Gor Mahia, Kenya)

The new K’Ogalo target man has made the departure of Ugandan forward Daniel Sserunkuma from Gor Mahia so invisible.

Described by many as the new Dennis Oliech, Olunga has all the attributes of a complete striker at his young age.

His aerial ability thanks to his height gives him advantage over his opponent and his lethal left foot is a weapon of mass destruction. With 12 goals so far in the KPL, the defences at Kagame Cup stand warned.

Collins ‘Gattuso’ Okoth (Gor Mahia, Kenya)

Kenya is known for producing talented central midfielders as witnessed with McDonald Mariga, Victor Wanyama and Humphrey Mieno among others. In the same breath, they have Okoth. He is as hard a tackler as ex-Italian and AC Milan midfielder Gennaro Gattuso and as good a passer as England and Manchester United’s Michael Carrick. Okoth is the perfect anchorman with the ability to foil opponents’ moves as well as initiate moves from deep for his side. With him on the pitch, the attackers have a lot of freedom to go as offensive as possible bearing in mind, they have a patroller behind them.

His combination with Ugandan international Aucho Khalid in the middle is the reason this year has seen a better K’Ogalo than the previous that won back to back league titles.

Brian Majwega (Azam FC)

Azam FC forked out a fee believed to be in the region of $ 40,000 to get Brian Majwega from KCC FC early this year.

One of the targets was to improve performance both on the continent and regional competition thus it’s payback time. Majwega’s pace and sweet magic left foot leaves opponents floored on the ground and the ‘magician’ as dubbed by KCC FC fans has goals in him. He is partly the reason KCC FC reached semi-finals of last year’s tournament.

Hakim Ssenkumba (KCC FC, Uganda)

On current form and consistency, no central midfielder in the country comes ahead of the KCC FC number 6. Senkumba is a good destroyer but also a good passer of the ball with the ability to do it long or short. He is the most assured KCC FC player on and off the ball. If he can replicate his master class performances at home, then KCC FC will fancy their chances.

Kavuma Habib (KCCA, Uganda)

Former Bunamwaya midfielder who is capable of playing box-to-box role as he posseses lots of energy the character that enables him to be a regular part of the KCCA squad.

Kavuma has a chance to show his creativity in this year’s tournament as his side is placed in group Group C that comprises Azam, Malakia and Adama City FC.

Jean-Claude Ndoli (APR Rwanda)

The experienced player who plays regularly for APR and Rwanda’s national soccer team since the army side signed him from Police FC in 2006. At one time, he was on the radar of Mainland giants Simba who later opted to sign evergreen goalkeeper Ivo Mapunda. Amissi Tambwe (Young Africans) The former Vital’0 (Burundi) and Simba forward is among players Young Africans bank on for goals in the domestic and international competitions. The Burundian played a key role for Yanga’s impressive performance in the 2014/2015 Mainland Premier League.

Jean Baptiste Mugiraneza (APR, Rwanda)

Popularly known as ‘Migi’, the Rwandan international signed for Azam last week from APR FC. A good game reader with intelligent passing and an eye for goal, he is partly the reason APR have reached two consecutive finals (2013 and 2015). He is also deadly with dead balls. He was linked to Stade Rennais, a French side, before signing for Azam. He will officially join the Chamazi money bags after the Cecafa Kagame Cup.

Karim Niyizigimana (Gor Mahia, Kenya)

He is arguably the best right fullback currently in the region. The Burundian joined the Kenya Premier League champions early this year from Rwanda’s Rayon Sport and hasn’t disappointed. Named in the team of the tournament last year in Kigali, Niyizigimana’s marauding skills on the right has seen him bag more than six assists in the KPL this campaign. On his good day, he is as excellent on the offensive as he is on the defensive.