Ntagwabira down plays APR test

DESPITE a slow start, SC Kiyovu coach Jean Marie Ntagwabira insists he will not be losing sleep ahead of Sunday’s crunch Primus league match against his former employers and defending champions APR.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Ntagwabira is not losing sleep ahead of the APR game this Sunday. (File Photo)

DESPITE a slow start, SC Kiyovu coach Jean Marie Ntagwabira insists he will not be losing sleep ahead of Sunday’s crunch Primus league match against his former employers and defending champions APR.

While the eleven-time champions head into the tie on the back of identical 1-0 victories over Mukura and Amagaju, Kiyovu find themselves in the lower half of the league table after managing to pick one point from a possible six.

The green baggies opened their campaign with a shocking 0-1 defeat against AS Kigali before being held to a 1-all draw by newly promoted La Jeunesse on Monday.

However, Ntagwabira, who is considered to be Rwanda’s most gifted coach by many after winning the title with APR and Atraco, insists that he will not give the APR game any special treatment.

"It is just another primus league match which we want to win. We have not had a good start but we know that victory at Amahoro stadium will kick-start our league campaign,” the soft spoken coach noted.

"After winning the pre-season Primus Cup, the players are under a lot of pressure to perform which is why it has been so hard for them. They are not used to playing under such pressure but things are going to get back to normal real soon.” 

Ntagwabira expects to welcome back two of his key players Jean Shyaka and Berche Bawuma for Sunday’s fixture.
On the other hand, APR have to do without their new signings Johnson Bagoole, Kipson Atuheire, Karim Nizigiyimana, Joseph Bwalya and Zuma Kidere since their international transfer certificates (ITC) are still being processed.

In other weekend fixtures, table leaders Rayon Sport entertain Police at Nyamirambo’s regional stadium, Marines host AS Kigali, Etincelles play away to Mukura, Amagaju lock horns with Musanze while La Jeunesse host Muhanga.

Ends