Bizimana hungry for success at APR

APR new signing Djihad Bizimana is keen on winning trophies with the club after signing a two-year contract with the army side over the weekend. The 20-year old, who commenced training with his new teammates on Monday afternoon, is oozing confidence ahead of APR’s participation in the upcoming CECAFA Kagame Cup that is slated for July 18-August 2 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. “I will work together with my teammates to continue the club’s tradition of winning trophies. I cannot do much alone, we are going to work together as a team,” the former Rayon Sports player told Times Sport yesterday. The midfield maestro has already impressed APR’s coaching staff and the almost 100 fans that turned up for the team’s training last evening at Amahoro Stadium. APR assistant coach Vincent Mashami said, “We have signed a very good player who is still young and has strength”. “He has the passion. He attended his first training on Monday and the players were excited to have him around. One can hardly tell he is a new signing considering how he has quickly settled in and got acquainted with his new teammates. He is a player we really needed and I am confident he will help us a lot in CECAFA.” Bizimana has recently been involved with the U-23 national side in the Rio 2016 Olympic qualifiers as well as the senior side Amavubi in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Mozambique. “I have been playing with most of these players on the national team so it has not been difficult trying to fit in. I feel at home,” admitted the joyful Bizimana. APR signed the Rubavu-born midfielder as replacement of Jean Baptiste ‘Migi’ Mugiraneza who completed his permanent move to Tanzanian side Azam FC last week. However, Bizimana is keen on expressing his own style of football. “I have to believe in myself that I am capable of playing at a club like APR. I am not going to play like ‘Migi’ but rather play my style of football and I hope that will be enough to benefit the team in the long run.” Bizimana follows in the footsteps of his uncle Haruna Niyonzima, the current national team captain who currently plies his trade for Yanga in Tanzania as well as Djamal Mwiseneza, Albert Ngabonziza and Labama Bokota as players who dramatically crossed from Rayon to archrivals APR at different times. editorial@newtimes.co.rw