SC Villa’s participation in the 2024 CECAFA Kagame Cup came to a close on Tuesday as the Uganda Premier League champions failed to secure a semifinal spot.
Villa, who finished second in group C with 5 points in three matches were deemed out of the tourney after Red Arrows FC’s 1-0 win over Djibouti Telecom FC propelled them to six points, to emerge as the best runner-up at the group stage.
The tournament format dictates that the top team from each group advances directly to the semifinals, while the second-best team across all groups claims the final knockout stage slot. SC Villa’s failure to secure maximum points against APR FC on Monday proved costly, missing out on an automatic semifinal spot.
SC Villa needed a win in their final group game to secure an automatic spot in the semifinals but were held to a draw, leaving them with five points. The Jogoos relied on Red Arrows to drop points against Djibouti Telecom FC, but Anthony Shipanuka’s first-half goal secured the win for the Red Arrows.
The semi-final lineup features Sudan Premier League sides Hay Al Wadi and Al Hilal FC, APR FC from Rwanda, and Red Arrows from Zambia. SC Villa shifts focus to the Champions League preliminary round, facing Ethiopian side Commercial Bank (CBE SA).
Final Group Standings:
Group A:
Hay Al Wadi SC – 7 points
Coastal Union – 4 points
JKU – 3 points
Dekedaha FC – 3 points
Group B:
Al-Hilal – 9 points
Red Arrows – 6 points
Gor Mahia – 1 point
ASAS – 1 point
Group C:
APR – 7 points
Villa – 5 points
Singida – 3 points
Al Merreikh – 1 point
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