Local league returns

TodayAPR vs Marines Police vs La Jeunesse Etincelles vs Muhanga Rayon Sport vs Amagaju SundayKiyovu vs Espoir Isonga vs Musanze Mukura vs AS Kigali As the 2012/13 season kicks off, all eyes will be on defending champions APR, who start their quest for a 14th league title against Marines this afternoon at Stade de Kigali.The opening day of the new season starts with four matches across the country. As defending champions tussle it out with Marines, archrivals Rayon Sport will be battling Amagaju at their new home in Nyanza. In Western Province district of Rubavu, Etincelles will play host to Muhanga at Umuganda stadium while Police, Rwanda’s representatives in next year’s CAF Confederation, face a tricky test against La Jeunesse at Kicukiro turf.APR coach Eric Nshimiyimana is focused on fulfilling the club’s ambition of winning the fourth consecutive league title. “As we start the new season, our aim is to win the league title. I have new, young faces joining older players who have been at the club for a few seasons, but everyone is familiar with the league,” he told Times Sport yesterday.He added, “We have tried to prepare the team and I believe we will achieve our target depending on everyone’s effort throughout the season.”APR’s new faces include Emery Bayisenge, François Hakizimana, Michel Rusheshangoga, and Eric Nsabimana, strikers Isaac Muganza, Jacques Cyubahiro, Farouk Saifi Ruhinda and Isaiah Songa.Others are Hamdan Bariyanga, and Tumaine ‘Titi’ Ntamuhanga, who signed from Rayon Sport.New chapter Meanwhile, after losing his best players, including talismanic captain Meddie Kagere, Police Football Club head coach Goran Kuponovic says he wants to build a team to play the best football in the league.Police will kick off their campaign against La Jeunesse and the Serbian coach will be demanding his players to produce exciting display.“When I came in 2010 I was scared when I saw many foreign players in the league but now the philosophy has changed, which is good,” he said in the build-up to today’s opener.“I am not scared because we have been working hard and my ambition is to play good football, I am not talking about winning the league or trophies, what I want is to play attractive football and, if we can reproduce our form of last season, I believe we’ll have a good chance,” he added.About the departed players, the coach said, “I can’t cry because I lost players. What I want is to build a good team to challenge for trophies.” Primus on board Meanwhile, the national football governing body, Ferwafa and Bralirwa will next week, renew sponsorship for the national football league.Bralirwa, through their Primus brand, will, once again, sponsor the league for a yet to be determined period and fee.They sponsored the top flight league over the last three seasons in a deal worth Rwf335 million, which also included sponsoring the second division league and a pre-season tournament featuring top four clubs.

Sports

Local league returns