Rayon Sports sets domestic double target for Mbungo
Tuesday, March 03, 2020
Andre Casa Mbungo (L) shakes hands with Sadate Munyakazi, Rayon Sports president after signing a 4 month contract last week. / Courtesy.

Rayon Sports have challenged new head coach André Casa Mbungo to win both the league and Peace Cup trophies this season.

The 52-year-old tactician joined the Blues last week on a 4-month deal. Alain Kirasa, who has been coaching the team in an interim role after the sacking of Mexican Javier Martinez Espinosa, two months ago stayed on as Assistant coach.

Espinosa was sacked after a series of poor results that included a 2-0 league defeat to APR FC.

It will not be an easy task for the former Kiyovu, Police and AS Kigali coach since the champions trail rivals APR FC by seven points with ten games to go.

In an exclusive interview with Times Sport, Mbungo said the club had tasked him to win the domestic double, a challenge he says is difficult but not insurmountable.

 "Of course I wish I had begun the season with the team but I am confident we can still get good results from the remaining games. APR have not lost a league game yet, Police are two points ahead of us but I believe, with God, anything can happen,” Mbungo said.

"My priorities meet the club’s ambitions. To win the league title and the Peace cup… but we need to win every game. I am satisfied with the squad I have and we need the supporters in this crucial journey,” he added.

Rayon Sports Spokesperson, Jean-Paul Nkurunziza, recently told Times Sport that the club "will only extend Mbungo’s short-term contract upon satisfactory results.”

Mbungo has been on break since October last year when he parted ways with Kenyan giants AFC Leopards over disagreement on wages.

He is the only Rwandan coach to ever win a major trophy in local football without coaching Rayon Sports and APR since Jean-Marie Ntagwabira (RIP) guided now-defunct Atraco to the 2007-08 league title.

He won two Peace Cup trophies with AS Kigali in 2013 and Police in 2015.

Mbungo holds a CAF A coaching badge and is certified as Fifa international physical trainer.