Karekezi set to retire

Longtime Amavubi and APR playmaker Olivier Karekezi has said that he will retire at the end of his contract with CA Bizertin in early 2015. Karekezi, 30, announced his retirement on Saturday ahead of his club’s Champions League group stage tie against Tunisian side Fus Rabat on Sunday in Casablanca, Morocco. He said, “Yes, I am finally hanging up my boots for good! Playing football is all I have ever wanted to do and I think I have achieved all I ever wanted in my career.” “I don’t expect to renew my contract with Bizertin when it expires in March, 2015. I will see what to do next but of course working on my coaching badges will be one of my priorities,” added Karekezi. Karekezi made international debut for Rwanda in 2000 and represented his country at the 2004 Africa Nations Cup, the only time Rwanda has participated in the continental showpiece. He has scored 25 goals for Amavubi in 53 appearances. Karekezi joined CA Bizertin, after his second stint at APR on a two-year contract in September last year. He left after helping APR to the national football league title as well as the MTN Peace Cup tournament, having scored 14 goals. Karekezi’s career started with APR way back in 2002 before he left to join Sweden’s top division club Helsingborgs IF in 2005. He scored five goals in 18 matches during the 2005 season. In 2006, he scored 11 goals for Helsingborg, becoming the top scorer in Allsvenskan. In January 2008, Karekezi moved to Norwegian side Hamarkameratene. In March 2010, he returned to Sweden and played for second division club Östers IF for two years. He is the only player who featured in 2004 Nations Cup who retains a regular place in the Amavubi team which is currently managed by his former teammate Eric Nshimiyimana.