Five things we learned in 2020/21 Rwanda football league

The 2020/21 national football league took place in very difficult circumstances and was suspended for a few months when the coronavirus cases spiked in December. However the local football governing body (Ferwafa) worked closely with the Ministry of Sports and other health stakeholders to ensure that the league takes place in a safe environment. Players and other club staff were requested to stay in their respective residential camps prior to the league resumption until the last match day. From Olivier Karekezi’s sacking to APR FC’s unbeaten run, Times Sport looks at five talking points of the just concluded Rwanda premier league. APR FC set record Moroccan tactician Adil Mohammed Erradi will be remembered in Rwandan football history for setting a club record of guiding APR FC to two league titles without losing a single game. The army side were crowned league champions last week to make it two in a row and didn’t lose a single league game during the past two seasons, a record that could be hard for local clubs to break for years. Unbeaten in the last 38 games so far, winning 32 games and drawing six times, the league champions are not only looking to extend their unbeaten run next season but also wants to replicate their domestic success on the continental scene after they were knocked out by Kenyan side Gor Mahia in the first round of the CAF Champions League last season. Mukura’s last-minute relegation escape This could be one of the most disappointing seasons in the history of Mukura VS, as the club battled to escape relegation despite changing coaches on two occasions. The Huye-based club was among five clubs that were battling league relegation as they entered the last game of the league campaign on Monday, June 28, with two points off from the drop zone. A 3-0 home victory over Southern Province rivals AS Muhanga, who were already released prior to the game, was not only enough for Mukura to secure their stay in the top flight league next season but also a celebratory gift for their former boss who was last weekend elected new Ferwafa president for the next four years. Rayon’s persistent struggles When the likes of Heritier Luvumbu and Kevin Muhire signed for the club in the final days of the transfer window, there was a sigh of relief that the club was positioning itself among title contenders, alongside APR FC, AS Kigali and Kiyovu SC. The duo was hoping to join forces with key players Erneste Sugira, Olivier Kwizera and youngsters Blaise Nishimwe and Clement Niyigena to form a strong squad that would challenge for the league title. Club coach Guy Bukasa was also confident of achieving something big with the club he had at his disposal, but his hopes were short-lived just a few days after the league kick off as he lost Kevin Muhire to injury while main striker Sugira’s poor form and Olivier Kwizera’s series of blunders didn’t help the Blues. Sugira and Kwizera’s behavior angered Bukasa to the point that he decided to drop them from the starting lineup and turned to Blaise Nishimwe, defender Niyigena and goalkeeper Adolphe Hakizimana. However, the results kept going from bad to worse but he knew only a win against APR FC would save his job and keep the club in the title race. The army side eventually beat them 1-0 only for the tactician to leave the club before being sacked. Rayon finished seventh, probably the worst position they have had in the last 27 years. AS Kigali’s title blow Arguably APR FC’s toughest challengers, the title was AS Kigali’s to lose until they were held to a 1-1 draw by the army side. Had they won that game, the league would have ended in the City of Kigali-sponsored club’s favor. Head coach Eric Nshimyimana had top players in striker Shaban Hussein Tchabalala, who finished top of the scoring charts, Muhajiri Hakizimana and Hussein Lawal as well as veteran goalkeeper Eric Ndaiyishimiye Bakame among others in the squad. They fought to the end but APR FC finished ahead of them on goal difference. Karekezi fails to impress Olivier Karekezi’s sacking by Kiyovu SC after one league game may have surprised many on one hand but also poses question marks about his capability as a coach. The Amavubi legend, who is one of the most successful players in the history of Rwandan football, has failed to replicate his success as a player into a successful coaching career whenever he has gotten a chance. His first test as a coach was Rayon Sports in 2017. He started well by beating archrivals APR FC but later failed to impress his employers and eventually got sacked. The tactician returned to Rwanda last year after reaching an agreement to coach Kiyovu SC but was sacked after winning just one match in four games. This has led football fans and pundits to question his capacity to become a top level coach.