May 2 Rayon Vs Gasogi
May 5 Rayon Vs Kiyovu
May 8 Rayon Vs Rutsiro
Rayon Sports head coach Guy Misakabu Bukasa has urged his players to aim high as the club gears up for the resumption of the coronavirus-hit 2020/21 Primus National League.
The shortened league, which will be played under groups, gets underway on May 1 and will climax on June 29.
Nzove-based Rayon have been drawn in Group B against archrivals SC Kiyovu, Gasogi United, and newcomers Rutsiro.
The Blues will begin their quest for a 10th topflight league silverware against Gasogi at Amahoro Stadium on Sunday, May 2, before facing Kiyovu and Rutsiro on May 5 and May 8, respectively.
Two best teams from each of the four groups will automatically advance to the knockout stages, starting with the quarter-finals.
Ahead of the return of league action for the first time since last December, DR Congo-born tactician Bukasa has tipped his players to rise to the occasion despite most of them being new at the club after losing most of their key players last season.
"We won’t let the fact that many players are new or the league adjustment be an excuse. We are ready to shine, and the first important step is to collect maximum points from the group matches,” he said.
"My players are in fine shape for the league.”
Under the newly announced format of group stages, the usually nine-month league has been compressed to under two months to make up for the lost time owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, which forced the competition to be suspended after just three match rounds in December 2020.
Rayon will be looking to make the most of new signings; striker Heritier Nzinga Luvumbu from Moroccan Club Athletic Youssoufia Berrechid and midfielder Kevin Muhire who rejoined the club after a two-year loan spell in Egypt.
Muhire, 22, was a key member of the Rayon Sports squad that reached the quarter-finals of the 2018 CAF Confederation Cup – the first and only Rwandan side to do so.
The teams that will reach the final of the new-look domestic league will represent the country in the 2021/22 continental club competitions.
Groups:
Pool A: APR, Bugesera, AS Muhanga and Gorilla FC. Pool B: Rayon Sports, SC Kiyovu, Gasogi United and Rutsiro. Pool C: AS Kigali, Police, Etincelles and Musanze. Pool D: Mukura, Sunrise, Marines and Espoir.