Farouk Miya, returning to the club after a decade in European football, stole the show with a first-half brace as the Venoms comfortably dispatched their opponents in the tournament opener. Abdul Karim Watambala added a third goal in stoppage time to round off an impressive display.
Miya shines on return
Miya opened the scoring in the 15th minute with a well-taken goal before doubling his tally shortly before half-time. His performance provided an early indication of the impact he could have after rejoining Vipers on a multi-year deal. Watambala then struck in the 45+3rd minute to ensure the three points were secured before the interval.
The result sees Vipers SC top Group A temporarily alongside hosts APR FC and Kenya's Gor Mahia following the opening round of matches in the regional competition.
Preparation for domestic season
Under new head coach Denis Lavagne, Vipers are using the Kagame Cup as valuable competitive preparation ahead of the upcoming Ugandan league season. The eight-time Ugandan Premier League champions arrived in Rwanda with a squad bolstered by several new signings, including the experienced Miya.
CF Garde Républicaine, representing Djibouti, found the task difficult against a well-organised Vipers side that controlled proceedings from the outset. The victory will boost confidence as Vipers look to progress deep into the tournament, which runs until early August.
Vipers will now turn their attention to their next Group A fixture as they aim to build on this encouraging start in Kigali.