Rubona seeks winning start as APR interim coach

Interim head coach Emmanuel Rubona will be hoping to make a winning start in the APR dugout when the defending champions take on Mukura at Mumena stadium this afternoon on match-day 2 in the Azam Rwanda Premier League.

Monday, September 21, 2015
APR midfielder Jean Claude Iranzi tries to go past a Mukura player during last season's league match at Muhanga stadium. (Sam Ngendahimana)

Tuesday

Police FC           vs      Bugesera FC

Espoir                vs      SC Kiyovu

APR FC              vs       Mukura

Amagaju          vs       AS Muhanga

Interim head coach Emmanuel Rubona will be hoping to make a winning start in the APR dugout when the defending champions take on Mukura at Mumena stadium this afternoon on match-day 2 in the Azam Rwanda Premier League.

Rubona, who has been working with the APR academy, has been thrown in the deep waters for his first senior coaching job to replace Serbian Dusan Dule Suljagic who walked away from the job unceremoniously on Thursday.

Speaking to Times Sport ahead of his eagerly anticipated debut against Godfrey Okoko’s Mukura, Rubona said, "The mission of the club is to win every match in order to lift the league title again. We have a set of players ready for the task, we try to take it game by game, starting with tomorrow’s match against Mukura.”

"I have not had enough time to work with the team to prepare for Tuesday’s game, but, at least, I know every players and this will help me, especially for the first match” he noted.

Rubona joined the APR academy earlier this year on a one-year contract from Canada where he was living for nine years by the time of signing for the army side, he was coach of FC Outaouais U-18 team.

He will be assisted by former APR players Didier Bizimana, Wilson ‘Rudifu’ Byusa and veteran goalie Jean Claude Ndoli will be in charge of the goalkeepers.

For Okoko, a loss against APR would complicate things for him and that’s why he says there is no room for errors against the 15-time champions.

"We respect APR because they are a strong team with talented players but we will try to put on a good performance and try to win the game. We need a win to move into good positions,” said the former Burundia international.

APR started their title defence with a narrow 1-0 over Etincelles on Saturday thanks to midfielder Djihad Bizimana.

Meanwhile, Andre Casa Mbungo’s Police FC will be looking to make it two wins in two when they face newly promoted Bugesera FC at Kicukiro stadium.