AFTER wrapping up the 2012/13 Primus National Football League, champions Rayon Sports are set to start preparations of strengthening their squad in bid to launch successful campaigns in next year’s Cecafa/Kagame Cup and Africa Champions League quest.

Rayon Sport celebrated their first league in nine years on Wednesday with a 1-0 win over Musanze at Amahoro stadium.

Needing only a point to secure the title heading into the encounter, Cedric Amissi secured his 15th goal of the season. The victory helped the blues to 57 points, five ahead of second-placed Police Fc, who cannot catch the Nyanza outfit in the last round of fixtures set for May 25.

The club chairman who also happens to be Mayor of Nyanza District, Abdallah Murenzi said that this league title should be accompanied with many more trophies.

“This is a historical feat that we have achieved by winning the league title after such long period. We have to go back and plan on how more trophies can be won in the upcoming year of football,”

“We want to strengthen the club by recruiting good Rwandan players as well as a few from abroad. The club’s next mission is to ensure that we start next season with a solid squad and bigger ambitions of winning Cecafa club championship and reaching in the Caf Champions League next year,” added Murenzi who management has been commended for Rayon Sport’s success this season.

In the past years, Rwanda’s most supported football club was struggling to challenge
the big rivals APR, Atraco and now Police mainly because of the financial problems but
Murenzi believed that will soon be history, and going by the current state of affairs, he was spot-on.

Returning to their ancestral home marked the rebirth of the club. Their 4-0 drubbing of archrivals APR, the 2-1 win over SC Kiyovu, the 5-0 demolition of Etincelles and the 6-1 rout of AS Muhanga gave the whole team belief that they could actually go and achieve their dream.

The management of Murenzi and Nyanza District in general injected over Rwf. 80 million in the strengthening the club, installed good administration and organizational
skills in dethroning APR FC who have consistently won Rwandan titles for the last 16 years.

When asked his secret he employed to turn enable Rayon Sports into a winning club when he took over late last year, head coach Didier Gomes da Rosa said, “Journalists often ask me what is my secret? No secret, I just have the luck to count on very good players determined, working hard and united.”

“Before this match, I said to them-murakoze, murakoze cyane to make me a good coach. Nobody can imagine how much I am proud to be the coach of this guys. I love them,” noted Gomes.

Skipper Aphrodis Hategikimana said, “I am happy for having accomplished this mission as a captain. The last time I won the title was in 2004 as a player. I dedicate this title to our fans and good club administrators.”

Rayon was founded in Nyanza on May 1968 and moved to Kigali in 1986, using
Amahoro Stadium for their home matches. They last won the league title in 2004 and
the Peace Cup in 2005.

While still in Nyanza, they won the league twice in 1975 and 1981, and the Rwanda Cup in 1976, 1979 and 1982 before coming toKigali in 1986.

In their new found home in Kigali, Rayon went on to win the Cup in 1989, 1993, 1995,
1998, 2005 and the league in 1997, 1998, 2002, and 2004.

Rayon also became the first Rwandan club to win the Cecafa club championship in
1998 before it was renamed Cecafa-Kagame Cup in 2002.

In the end, the quality of its players and the results against potential contenders helped
Rayon Sport win its seventh league title overall.

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Taifa stars head coach Kim Poulsen is expected to unveil is squad for the 2014 World Cup qualifier against Morocco’s Atlas Lions tomorrow.

Stars will have busy month starting June 8 when they take on the Atlas Lions in Marrakesh, Morocco in a crucial Group C clash.

A week later, they will face Didier Drogba’s Cote d’Ivoire at the National Stadium before taking on Uganda Cranes in the Africa Nations Championship qualifier on June 22 at the same venue.

The Tanzania football Federation (TFF) information officer, Boniface Wambura, said yesterday that Kim decided to play his cards close to the chest, and would only name his team during his press conference tomorrow.

Kim is also bullish of his team’s chances, according to Wambura. He wants to name a squad capable of making it to the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil.

“His objective is the 2014 World Cup finals. He wants to get to that stage of the competition,” said the TFF official.

Taifa Stars, whose first ever appearance at the Africa Nations Cup dates back to 1980 in Nigeria, are gunning for their first appearance at the World Cup finals.

The Stars usually struggle against North and West African sides but they defied the odds when they upset fancied Morocco 3-1 in first leg of the World Cup qualifiers nearly two months ago at the National Stadium.

To ensure they shine in the June 8 encounter in Marrakesh, Kim’s boys will play one international before heading to Morocco for the showdown.
They are now second in Group C with six points, one adrift of leaders Cote d’Ivoire and four ahead of Morocco with Gambia sitting at the bottom of the four-team group one point.
Citizen

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The Simba SC technical bench has stood its ground, refusing to lift suspensions imposed on their seven players for indiscipline.

This means the Msimbazi Street giants will be without their influential stars when they do battle with Mainland champions and arch-rivals Yanga at the 60,000-capacity National Stadium on Saturday.

The household names that will miss the derby, which has already reached the fever pitch, are; Haruna Moshi, Juma Nyoso, Amir Maftah, Abdallah Juma, Komanbil Keita, Paul Ngalema and Ramadhan Chombo.

The heptad was suspended together with Mwinyi Kazimoto and Felix Sunzu, but the latter have been called back to their Zanzibar training camp.

For Simba fans, there is a serious cause for concern because the fallen giants will field a largely youthful squad compared to Yanga’s star-studded line-up.

Speaking with The Citizen yesterday, Simba assistant head coach Jamhuri “Julio” Kihwelu confirmed that the season was over for the suspended players.

“The season is over for them, let’s hope that they will be at Simba next season.

“It is pointless to lift the suspensions of players who misbehaved just because the team is playing Yanga.

“Definitely, the doors are closed and we are comfortable with the team we have,” the outspoken former Simba defender said.

Since the French head coach, Patrick Liewig, took up power at the Msimbazi club, fortunes have changed for the senior players.

Kihwelu stressed: “We have adopted youth policy and the youngsters have not let us down. I am confident that the lads will prove critics wrong come Saturday.”

“Kazimoto and Sunzu will provide the needed experience, so Simba fans should not worry; we know Yanga well and take my word, we will add them to our list of victims.”

The two sides drew 1-1 in a reverse fixture, however, it remains to be seen whether a youthful Simba team can contain the champions who have won the title with three matches in hand.

Simba, who terminated their Serbian coach Milovan Cirkovic at the beginning of the year, will finish the season third with no guarantee of featuring in CAF championships.

Yanga will represent the country in next year’s African Champions League while Azam, who thrashed Mgambo JKT 3-0 on Sunday, will fly the Tanzanian flag in the Confederation Cup for the second straight year.
Citizen

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Veteran striker Didier Drogba was again left out of the Ivory Coast squad when coach Sabri Lamouchi unveiled his 26 players for next month’s World Cup qualifiers against Gambia and Tanzania.

The 35-year-old Drogba led his country at the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa this year but the team exited at the quarterfinals stage.

As a result, the former Chelsea star was axed from the squad for March’s World Cup qualifier against Gambia.

Despite Drogba’s 96 caps and 60 international goals, Lamouchi has resisted the urge to recall the Galatasaray veteran.

Ivory Coast lead their World Cup qualifying group by one point from Tanzania. Morocco have two points while Gambia prop up Group C with one point.
Manchester City’s Kolo Toure was also overlooked.

Romaric N’Dri Koffi, who plays for Real Zaragoza in Spain, and Jean-Jacques Gosso, of Turkish side Mersin Idman Yurdu, were recalled.

There are two new names in the squad – defender Serge Aurier of Toulouse and striker Mathis Bolly from Germany’s Fortuna Duesseldorf.

Ivory Coast will face Gambia away on June 8 and Tanzania eight days later in Dar Es Salaam.

Squad:
Goalkeepers: Boubacar Barry (Lokeren/BEL), Ali Badra Sangare (Ivoire Academie), Sylvain Gbohouo (Sewe San Pedro)

Defenders: Souleymane Bamba (Trazbonspor/TUR), Arthur Boka (Stuttgart/GER), Benjamin Brou Angoua (Valenciennes/FRA), Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro (Toulouse/FRA), Serge Aurier (Toulouse/FRA), Jean-Jacques Gosso (Mersin Idman Yurdu/TUR), Ousmane Viera Diarrassouba (Pandurii/ROM), Brice Dja Djadja (Evian-Thonon-Gaillard/FRA)

Midfielders: Didier Zokora (Trabzonspor/TUR), Yaya Toure (Manchester City (ENG), Didier Ya Konan (Hanover 96/GER), Abdul Razak (Manchester City/ENG), Cheick Ismael Tioté (Newcastle United/ENG), Giovanni Sio (Sochaux/FRA), Geoffroy Serey Die (Basle/SUI), Romaric N’Dri Koffi (Real Zaragoza/ESP)

Attackers: Gervinho (Arsenal/ENG), Salomon Kalou (Lille/FRA), Wilfried Bony (Vitesse Arnhem/NED), Lacina Traore (Anzhi Makhachkala/RUS), Arouna Kone (Wigan Athletic/ENG), Seydou Doumbia (CSKA Moscow/RUS), Mathis Bolly (Fortuna Duesseldorf/GER).
AFP

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Coach Jupp Heynckes

Bayern Munich wraps up their record-breaking Bundesliga season on Saturday at Borussia Moenchengladbach with 20 records in their sights and with Coach Jupp Heynckes to end his German league career at the club where he began in 1963.

While Bayern’s Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund in Wembley on May 25 looms ever larger, Heynckes’ side finish their league campaign having already lifted the Bundesliga shield with a massive party in Munich last Saturday.

Bayern can finish with 23 Bundesliga records having already achieved the key landmarks for most league points in a season (88), most wins (28) and they are set to break the record of 21 goals conceded in a season with the current tally on 15.

Their 22-point lead over second-placed Dortmund in the league table is also a record, but while their fans finalise their Wembley plans, Heynckes is focused on claiming their 29th win from 34 league games at ‘Gladbach.

“Moenchengladbach is my home town, I spent 23 years at Borussia, so this is no normal game for me and it’ll be my last Bundesliga game as a coach,” said 68-year-old Heynckes, who played for ‘Gladbach as a striker, then later coached the club.

Heynckes will be replaced by ex-Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola next month, but the current squad are hungry for titles.

Bayern held their Champions League media open day on Tuesday with 190 reporters from 18 countries quizzing stars Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Arjen Robben and Thomas Mueller about what will be their third European final in four years.

Heynckes held a team-talk on Tuesday morning to motivate his team in their bid to win the treble of European, cup and league titles having also reached the German Cup final on June 1 against VfB Stuttgart in Berlin.

“Yes, of course, the Champions League final is already in a few minds,” said Bayern captain Lahm.

“We have gone close in recent years and want to bring the trophy to Munich, that’s clear.
“But it’s not as though you think about it every minute, we have celebrated the league title and the hard work begins again now.”

Dortmund host relegation-threatened Hoffenheim on Saturday with the guests needing a win and hoping rivals Augsburg, who host bottom side Greuther Fuerth, and Fortuna Duesseldorf, who are at Hanover 96, both lose so they can stay in Germany’s top flight.

“A miracle worker was not ordered yet,” quipped coach Mark Gisdol before the trip to Champions League finalists Dortmund with Hoffenheim having spent the last five seasons in Germany’s top flight.

“Borussia will play at full strength, it will not make the task easier, but there is a chance in each game and we have to exploit it when ours comes.”

Either Augsburg or Fortuna, who are just two points clear of Hoffenheim, could yet be relegated depending on Saturday’s results.

“I will be informed about what is happening in the other places, but I have it in my mind that above all we must win,” said Gisdol.

There is a lifeline for the team who finishes 16th in the league –currently Augsburg – who face a two-legged promotion/relegation play-off against Kaiserslautern, who finished third in the second division, on May 23 and 27.

Fixtures:
Saturday
Borussia Dortmund v Hoffenheim
Borussia M’gladbach v Bayern Munich
VfB Stuttgart v Mainz 05
Hanover 96 v Fortuna Duesseldorf
Nuremberg v Werder Bremen
Freiburg v Schalke 04
Augsburg v Greuther Fuerth
Hamburg v Bayer Leverkusen
Eintracht Frankfurt v VfL Wolfsburg
Sapa

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Barcelona winger Pedro Rodriguez has claimed he and his teammates are targeting Real Madrid’s league record of 100 points after sealing the title last weekend.

The Catalans were handed their 22nd league crown when Madrid could only manage a 1-1 draw with Espanyol, but they stayed on course for a century of points with a late come from behind win at Atletico Madrid 24 hours later.

And with nothing else left to play for this season, Pedro said winning their last three games to match Madrid’s treasured total from last season can be a motivating factor.

“The 100 points are a motivation, an objective that the team has in mind,” he said.

“We know that it will be difficult because the opponents that we have left are still playing for things, but we will try to do it.”

The Spanish international also insisted it has still been a successful season for Barca despite their eliminations to Bayern Munich and Real Madrid in the Champions League
and Copa del Rey respectively.

“The league is the most important title in the season because it is the one of consistency.

“I am very happy with the league and for the work of the team.”

However, the 25-year-old has been slightly disappointed with his own return of just eight goals this season and understands why his place may be under threat by new faces arriving in the close season.

“Personally, I would have liked to be able to offer a little more, but I am happy with the opportunities I have had.

“Next season it will return to being very difficult. It is normal that in this team they talk about reinforcements.

“Barca needs goals and a lot of offensive contribution. Therefore, every year the frontline suffers alterations.”

The likes of Pedro, Alexis Sanchez and David Villa will get the chance to prove their worth between now and the end of the campaign as Lionel Messi has been ruled out for the remaining weeks of the season with the hamstring injury that has dogged him in recent months.

Barca’s opponents on Sunday, Valladolid, have also achieved their goal for the season by mathematically sealing survival, but their manager Mirsolav Djukic is looking forward to the challenge of facing the champions.

“The two teams have achieved their objectives, but I have never played easy games,” he said.

“I think this is a good opportunity to see how we are in comparison to the best team in Spain.

“We can win against anyone and with our style we are confident that we can win, although we know it is very difficult because they will want to celebrate the title.”

Meanwhile, on Saturday the focus is on the fight for the final Champions League place with Valencia and Real Sociedad both locked on 59 points.

Valencia are first up as they travel to Getafe before Sociedad face an awkward looking trip to Sevilla on in the evening.

And despite making up five points on the Basques since they lost in San Sebastian three weeks ago, Valencia boss Ernesto Valverde is warning his side against being over-confident.

“It is a decisive matchday because we have a difficult opponents and Real Sociedad play in Sevilla.

“Both matches are difficult. We are confident, but I would like to control this euphoria that we have. It also isn’t good that this comes over us because we could have a setback.”

And at the bottom Mallorca could be relegated if Zaragoza beat Athletic Bilbao and they fail to win against Betis on Monday.

Fixtures:
Saturday
Getafe v Valencia
Granada v Osasuna
Sevilla v Real Sociedad
Sunday
Levante v Rayo Vallecano
Deportivo la Coruna v Espanyol
Real Zaragoza v Athletic Bilbao
Barcelona v Valladolid
Monday
Mallorca v Real Betis
AFP

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Africa Cup of Nations star Sunday Mba adjusts his sights to the CAF Confederation Cup this weekend as the contest for group places begins.

Mba-inspired Enugu Rangers of Nigeria host twice title-holders CS Sfaxien of Tunisia Sunday in the highlight of eight first leg play-off fixtures.

The 24-year-old midfielder scored the only goal of the Cup of Nations final against Burkina Faso in Soweto last February.

He also struck the winner in the shock quarterfinal triumph over hot pre-tournament favourites Ivory Coast in South Africa.

However, a transfer wrangle between Enugu and fellow Nigerian side Warrii Wolves kept him sidelined for several months.

Mba made his African debut for Enugu in a CAF Champions League qualifier this month and scored a wonder goal in Angola.

But his long-range shot could not prevent Rangers losing to Recreativo Libolo and being demoted to the second-tier Confederation Cup.

Enugu are among eight Champions League drop-outs tackling eight survivors from three rounds of Confederation Cup eliminators.

And Mba will aim for a smoother build-up and more goals when Rangers tackle 2007 and 2008 Confederation Cup winners Sfaxien.

The late completion of his transfer from Warri meant he left Nigeria only 15 hours before the kick-off in Angola.

“It was a crazy situation as I arrived in the town where the match was being staged just an hour before the kick-off.

“I changed into my playing kit inside the taxi taking me from the airport to the ground,” he recalled to Nigerian reporters.

Enugu just missed the first Confederation Cup final in 2004, finishing group runners-up behind Asante Kotoko of Ghana on the head-to-head rule.

Rangers are one of only two west African clubs to reach the play-offs with 2009 winners Stade Malien of Mali hosting Lydia Academic of Burundi.

There are nine challengers from the northern Maghreb region, although derbies mean only six can reach the group stage.

Tunisia have three contenders with 2006 winners Etoile Sahel away to JSM Bejaia of Algeria while CA Bizertin host Ismaily of Egypt.

Rabat clubs FUS and FAR square off in an all-Morocco showdown of former Confederation Cup title holders.

Entente Setif of Algeria host US Bitam of Gabon and Saint George of Ethiopia have home advantage over ENPPI of Egypt.

A game between four-time African champions TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo and surprise side Liga Muculmana of Mozambique completes the line-up.

There will be four caretaker coaches guiding Mazembe as Senegalese Lamine N’Diaye was redeployed after a Champions League loss this month to Orlando Pirates of South Africa.

Return matches are scheduled for the weekend of May 31-June 2 and the six-matchday group stage kicks off in mid-July.

Fixtures:

At Bamako

Stade Malien (MLI) v Lydia Academic (BDI)

At Enugu

Enugu Rangers (NGR) v CS Sfaxien (TUN)

At Rabat

FUS (MAR) v FAR (MAR)

At Bizerte

CA Bizertin (TUN) v Ismaily (EGY)

At Setif

Entente Setif (ALG) v US Bitam (GAB)

At Bejaia

JSM Bejaia (ALG) v Etoile Sahel (TUN)

At Lubumbashi

TP Mazembe (COD) v Liga Muculmana (MOZ)

At Addis Ababa

St George (ETH) v ENPPI (EGY)

Sapa

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Frank Lampard

Frank Lampard added a Europa League winner’s medal to his collection and then spelt out his desire to finally sign a new deal at Chelsea.

The former West Ham midfielder said after the game that talks are ongoing, but he is hopeful that speculation regarding his future will be put to bed in the near future.

“We are talking and I really hope that we can get the right end to it because everyone knows that I want to stay here,” Lampard said. “The club have been brilliant.”

Lampard has now won every domestic and European competition with the Blues following the dramatic 2-1 victory over Benfica at the Amsterdam ArenA.

At the turn of the year it seemed this would be Lampard’s final year of a long spell at the west London club, but talks between the 34-year-old and the Stamford Bridge hierarchy have progressed well of late. Upon being asked when he thought negotiations would conclude, the England international said: “Soon, I hope.”

Chelsea had hoped to mount a successful defence of their Champions League crown this season, but they were eliminated from the group stages. And while the club looks set to finish

The same Chelsea fans who goaded their Tottenham counterparts with “Thursday night, Channel Five” taunts earlier this season, were revelling in their victory, glad that the team had ended a rollercoaster season by adding more silverware to their trophy cabinet.

And although the Blues have enjoyed success in the Barclays Premier League since Roman Abramovich took over in 2003, this term they look set to finish third.

Lampard still thinks the club’s season should be viewed as a success, though.

“It has been a great season for the club,” he said. “It is huge (to win the Europa League).

Last year was incredible. We had fought so many years to win the Champions League so that was an absolute stand-out night for us but this year you could feel the buzz in Amsterdam.”

He added: “We didn’t want to go in to the Europa League. We wanted to stay in the Champions League this year but we have shown a great determination to win it from the moment that we have been in it and when you look back now, and you’ve got a full set (of domestic and European medals), it makes you very proud.”

PA Sport

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PSG President Nasser al-Khelaifi said on Monday they had rejected a bid by Real Madrid to hire Ancelotti, whose deal with PSG was automatically extended until June 2014 after the club attained Champions League qualification.

Ancelotti said he needed some things to be clarified before he made a decision about his future.

“I have not talked with the club yet. We have a meeting scheduled on Friday, then we’ll see,” he told sports daily L’Equipe. “I want to continue if it’s possible to continue.

“But I want to understand what happened during the season. Some things happened after our (league) defeat against Stade Rennes, then after the defeat at Nice,” he added.

“Today it’s 50-50. I have settled in well here and I don’t like to change. I was disappointed when I left Chelsea (in 2011). And if I leave Paris, I’ll be sad.”

According to media reports, PSG’s Qatari owner Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani had threatened to fire Ancelotti when the team were fourth in the table after a loss at Nice in December.

“Actually, I want to understand whether I am here for a project or just for one result.

That’s the question,” Ancelotti told L’Equipe. “I want to know what happened this season and what will happen in the future.”

PSG, who have clinched their first French title since 1994 with two games left, host bottom club Stade Brest in the penultimate round of matches on Saturday.

Reuters

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Rayon’s Hategekimana

Rayon Sport’s skipper Aphrodis Hategikimana has dedicated the historical Primus league triumph to Rayon Sports fans fraternity after the club ended their long-crave for the title on Wednesday.

He said on Wednesday, “The last time I won the league title with Rayon Sport was wayback in 2004. It is a great honour to lift the title after nine years as a captain of this club,”

“I dedicate this title to our fans who have been with us throughout this long time and I believe this is going to be the turning point for our club,” added Hategikimana who had a one-year spell in Djibouti before coming back to the blues side.

Rayon Sports clinched the first Rwandan league title since 2004 after edging Musanze 1-0 in a Primus league match at Amahoro stadium on Wednesday. The win also pushes the team’s tally to 7 legue titles since 1968.

Rayon Sports now has a five-point lead at the top of the standings. With just one round left, second-placed Police who thrashed Amagaju 3-0 away in Nyamagabe can no longer deny Rayon the cup.

This is Rayon Sport’s seventh league title, and the first under Nyanza District investment, which took control of the club in November last year and spent over Rwf. 80 million to strengthen the squad.

Burundian import Cedric Amissi was instrumental in leading Rayon Sports’ success despite a patchy start. The talismatic midfielder has scored 15 league goals so far.

He has already surpassed the record 14 goals scored in the second half of the season set by Jimmy Gatete in 2005 for APR and Bokota Kamana in 2007 for Rayon.

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