Jean Claude Muhawenimana, the president of Rayon Sports fans club has made an emotional appeal to the club fans and all Rwandans in general to turn up in big numbers at Amahoro National Stadium to support their team against Nigeria’s Rivers United on Saturday.
Saturday
CAF Confed. Cup
Playoff round
Second leg
Rayon Sports vs Rivers United 3:30pm
Jean Claude Muhawenimana, the president of Rayon Sports fans club has made an emotional appeal to the club fans and all Rwandans in general to turn up in big numbers at Amahoro National Stadium to support their team against Nigeria’s Rivers United on Saturday.
Rayon Sports will take on Rivers United in the CAF Confederation Cup playoff round return leg bidding to overturn a 2-0 deficit from the first leg played last Sunday in Port Harcourt.
The Port Harcourt-based side arrived in Kigali on Thursday night, and are residing at Classic Hotel in Kicukiro. They are scheduled to conduct a training session today at Amahoro stadium.
"We are preparing for this historic day in a very unique style, we have had several meetings with various fan clubs in regards to how, on this day, we shall give our opponents a reception they will never forget,” said Muhawenimana.
He added, "First of all, we have contributed some money, which I prefer not to disclose, towards prepare our players adequately and motivating them. Also, today (Friday) we shall share dinner with the team in Kabuga as a way to assure them of our full support.”
"And tomorrow, starting in the morning, we have prepared road campaigns around the city reminding Rwandans to come in time and in big numbers because we want to create an atmosphere that will make the players play with an extra spring in their feet. We need them to get a goal in the first 20 minutes,” Muhawenimana explained.
For Rayon to qualify, they are required to win 2-0 to take the tie into extra time or 3-0 to advance to the group stages.
River United will however; be looking to avoid another nightmare after their CAF Champions League fate where, despite taking a 3-0 first leg advantage against El Merreikh of Sudan, the Nigerians still crashed out after losing 4-0 to go out 4-3 on aggregate.
Muhawenimana noted that, "We have full confidence that we can go through and I call upon fans from all parts of the country to turn up as early as possible and let our opponents feel our presence.”
If Rayon Sports progress, they will become the first Rwandan club in history to reach the group stage of a CAF competition, including Champions League and Confederation Cup, which was established in 2004.