Elvis Rupia maintains hot scoring streak as Duke Abuya & Joash Onyango also star for Singida

© Singida Fountain Gate FC.

FOOTBALL Elvis Rupia maintains hot scoring streak as Duke Abuya & Joash Onyango also star for Singida

Joel Omotto 16:00 - 02.01.2024

Kenyan striker Elvis Rupia made it three goals in two games as he was on target for Singida Fountain Gate in their Mapinduzi Cup win over Rwanda’s APR

Kenyan striker Elvis Rupia took his tally to three goals in the Mapinduzi Cup when he scored Singida Fountain Gate’s first goal in their 3-1 victory over Rwandan giants APR.

Singida were pegged back earl in the first half but responded in fine fashion. Kenyan midfielder Duke Abuya lofted in a corner which was not well defended by APR whose goalkeeper fouled Habib Kyombo with the referee pointing to the spot.

Rupia stepped up and effortlessly converted the spot-kick, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way to draw his team level.

Morice Chukwu then put the Tanzanian side ahead with a thunderous strike from distance which the APR goalkeeper made a mess of before Francy Kazadi swept home the third against the run of play.

It was the third goal in three matches for Rupia who put in a man of the match performance against JKU of Zanzibar last Friday.

The former Kenya Police striker scored twice as Singida recorded the biggest victory in the history of the competition when they triumphed 4-1.

“I like his (Francy Kazadi) battle with Elvis Rupia,” Singida spokesman Hussein Masinza said of the competition between the two forwards. “If one scores, the other one responds so our opponents have to decide between the two who should score against them.”

The match also saw the return of former Gor Mahia defender Joash Onyango to the team after missing the win over JKU.

It was a good game for the Kenyans with Abuya also putting in an impressive performance and Singida will be expecting the same when they take on Simba SC in their final group game.

Singida will, however, head into the game with little pressure since they have already sealed a ticket to the quarter-finals thanks to their two wins.

Mapinduzi Cup is an annual competition which forms part of the anniversary celebrations of the Zanzibar Revolution, which expelled the Sultan from power on January 12, 1964.

The 2023 edition is the 60th anniversary of the celebrations with all matches being played at the recently refurbished Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar, whose capacity was expanded to 15,000.

Singida reached the final of the tournament last year before losing to 2-1 to Mlandege of Zanzibar.