Africa-Press – Rwanda. APR VC stunned Uganda’s Nemo Stars with a commanding straight-sets victory (25-20, 25-23, 27-25) to secure their third consecutive win in Group A of the African Men’s Club Championship at BK Arena on Saturday.
Star outside hitter James Achuil delivered a standout performance, leading the hosts with resilience and composure throughout the match.
The opening set was closely contested, with both sides level at 12-12. Nemo Stars briefly seized momentum through Geoffrey Onap’s powerful serves and spikes, but Achuil and Samuel Niyonshima responded to restore APR’s control and close the set 25-20.
APR carried that momentum into the second set, as head coach Sammy Mulinge kept faith in his starting lineup, making only minimal adjustments. The introduction of middle blocker Ronald Muvara and captain Prince Kanamugire added stability, helping APR edge the next two sets 25-23 and 27-25 to seal the win.
After the match, Mulinge praised Yves Mutabazi’s versatility and influence on the team’s strong form.
“We’re lucky to have him in our squad. Honestly, Mutabazi is one of the best players in Rwanda. He can adapt to any situation. Having him alongside Achuil was key for us,” said Mulinge.
Elsewhere in Group A, Litto Team defeated Black Rhinos in straight sets (25-23, 25-23, 25-14), while Petrojet overcame Nigeria Customs in four sets (25-21, 24-26, 25-22, 25-15).
In Group B, Kepler VC maintained their unbeaten run with a four-set victory over Cameroon Sport (25-21, 25-21, 26-28, 25-22). Equity Bank bounced back from their loss to Al Ahly, beating AS INJS 3-1 (25-17, 22-25, 25-13, 25-17), while Sport-S suffered a straight-sets defeat to Al Ahly (21-25, 10-25, 22-25).
In Group C, Police VC continued their dominant form, securing a third straight win with a straight-sets victory over Wolaitta VC (25-19, 25-20, 25-22). Morocco’s Faith Union also impressed, defeating Tanzania Prisons in three sets (25-18, 25-15, 25-12).
In Group D, Rwanda Energy Group (REG), led by outside hitter Nicholas Matui, claimed their second win after beating General Service Unit (GSU) in four sets (25-22, 25-22, 23-25, 28-23), boosting their chances of reaching the Round of 16.
However, Burundi’s Rukinzo VC suffered another setback, falling in four sets (25-22, 23-25, 21-25, 15-25) to Port Autonome de Douala. The loss confirmed Rukinzo as the first team eliminated from the competition.
Day 5 Fixtures (Sunday, April 26)
Group A
Petrojet vs Litto Team (12pm) – BK Arena
Nigeria Customs vs APR (8pm) – BK Arena
Nemo Stars vs Black Rhinos (8pm) – Petit Stade
Group B
Cameroon Sport vs Equity (12pm) – Petit Stade
Kepler VC vs Al Ahly (4pm) – BK Arena
Group C
Police VC vs Ghana Army (2pm) – BK Arena
Faith Union vs Wolaitta (4pm) – Petit Stade
Prisons vs Kenya Ports Authority (6pm) – Petit Stade
Group D
Rukinzo VC vs GSU (10am) – Petit Stade
Port Autonome vs Kalibi Sporting Club (2pm) – Petit Stade
REG vs Atletico Clube (6pm) – BK Arena
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