Denis Omedi and Hakim Kiwanuka played key roles as APR FC edged Police FC 4-2 on penalties to win the 2025 Rwanda Heroes Cup in a tense final at Kigali Pele Stadium on Saturday.
The Ugandan duo was named in APR’s starting XI with Kiwanuka getting the best chance of the game in the fifth minute.
In a match filled with drama, both teams struggled to find the back of the net in regulation time, forcing extra time and, eventually, penalties.
APR suffered a late setback when defender Clement Niyigena was sent off for a second bookable offense with 10 minutes to go in extra time, but Police FC failed to capitalize on the numerical advantage. The game remained goalless, sending the contest to a dramatic penalty shootout.
Goalkeeper Pavelh Ndzila emerged as the hero for APR, making two crucial saves to secure the club’s first trophy of the season.
The army side showed their resilience under pressure, avenging their 2024 defeat to Police in the same competition.
Omedi, who had scored on his debut in the semifinal against AS Kigali, played with confidence but could not find the target in open play.
His compatriot Kiwanuka had early chances to break the deadlock but was denied twice by Police goalkeeper Patience Niyongira.
Omedi and Kiwanuka will now shift focus to the Rwanda Premier League, where APR is locked in a fierce title race with leaders Rayon Sports.
