Tusker FC made a disappointing start to their 2026 CECAFA Kagame Cup campaign after suffering a 2-0 defeat to Sudanese giants Al Hilal SC in their Group C opener at Amahoro Stadium in Kigali on Sunday.

The four-time CECAFA Kagame Cup champions and reigning Mozzart Bet Cup holders showed plenty of promise throughout the contest but were punished by a clinical Al Hilal side, who struck once in each half to claim maximum points.

Kamaradini Mamudu handed the Sudanese outfit the lead before Salim Adams sealed the victory with a stoppage-time goal, leaving the Brewers with little margin for error in their remaining group fixtures.

The regional tournament is a key part of Tusker’s preparations for the 2026/27 season, with head coach Julien Mette using the competition to build match fitness, integrate new signings and fine-tune his squad ahead of the FKF Premier League and CAF Confederation Cup campaigns.

Al Hilal, one of Africa’s most successful clubs, dominated possession during the early exchanges, but Tusker remained disciplined at the back and looked threatening on the counterattack.

The breakthrough came in the first half when Mamudu’s effort took a decisive deflection that wrong-footed goalkeeper Brandon Obiero before finding the back of the net.

Tusker almost responded before the break through defender Abud Omar, whose curling free-kick beat the defensive wall but drifted narrowly wide of the post.

Mette made four changes at halftime, introducing Tom Teka, Yakeen Mutheli, Brian Ikutwa and Fabi, and the substitutions gave the Brewers renewed energy as they pushed forward in search of an equaliser.

Abud Omar continued to trouble the Sudanese defence with another dangerous free-kick that forced an excellent save from the goalkeeper. The rebound fell kindly to Disse, but the striker failed to convert from close range.

Victor Ali also threatened with a well-worked effort from the edge of the penalty area before Steve Omondi nearly made an immediate impact off the bench. His powerful header from Hood’s corner was brilliantly tipped away by the Al Hilal goalkeeper in one of the game’s defining moments.

As Tusker committed numbers forward in the closing stages, Al Hilal capitalised on the space left behind. Salim Adams completed a swift counterattack deep into stoppage time to secure a 2-0 victory for the Sudanese side.

Despite the defeat, Tusker Fc Coach Julien Mette remained encouraged by what he saw from his newly assembled squad, noting that many of his players were experiencing football at that level for the first time.

“We have several new players, and for many of them this is their first experience at such a high level. We’ve only been training together for two weeks, so I’m optimistic about the performance, even though I’m disappointed with the result,” said Mette.

The Frenchman admitted the team is still in the early stages of its pre-season programme but believes the signs are promising.

“A proper pre-season usually takes six to seven weeks before playing a competitive match. Considering the short preparation time, I think the players did well. Our last player only arrived two days ago.”

Mette also singled out some of his new recruits for praise while acknowledging the quality of the opposition.

“The new signings, including Aboud Omar and Collins, impressed me. We also have to remember that Al Hilal are one of Africa’s giants and reached the CAF Champions League quarter-finals, so this was always going to be a very tough test.”

The Brewers now face a crucial Group C encounter against hosts Rayon Sports on Wednesday before concluding the group stage against Zanzibar’s KVZ SC on August 1, knowing positive results will be essential to keep their hopes of reaching the knockout rounds alive.