Rayon Sports earlier this week acquired the services of Burundian forward Asman Ndikumana on a two-year deal. Ndikumana joined the Blues’ forward line which also includes Fall Ngagne, who resumed training after five six months on the sidelines, and Tunisian Mohamed Chelly who joined the club in July among others. When he came from the bench to scored twice in the second half during Rayon Sports’ 4-1 win over Ugandan champions Vipers in a friendly match held on Monday, September 1, the crowd at Kigali Pele Stadium, was quick to confirm that they have finally found the ideal striker they really needed ahead of the new season. Some, as usual, mobbed him and started to give him money as a token of appreciation. With Ngagne, who is now showing signs of recovery, the two could form one the most feared attacking partnership in the league and in the region. To Ndikumana, scoring against Vipers was just the beginning. I am happy that I scored two goals in a warm up match but that does not mean anything until we start the league and I have to continue working hard to reach to the next level. It is good when you score but it is challenge also to keep that spirit,” Ndikumana recently told the press after his performance on his debut at the club. “ I hope to score many goals for this club. I have been doing it for my previous teams and I am confident I will continue scoring,” he added. Ndikumana has contract which will keep him at the club until 2027. But is he really the ideal striker Rayon Sports wanted to sign before the league starts? Ndikumana has ambitions that match what the Blues want in a striker. “What I want is to help Rayon Sports reach a higher level, we will compete in the CAF Confederation Cup and we will try to go as far as possible in the championship,” he said. “Everything is pressure in football, whether in games or training, you are expected to score a lot of goals. Rayon fans have welcomed me well and given me everything I wanted. I will work hard for that too.” Ndikumana’s performance impressed head coach Lotfi Afahmia who has high expectations of him in the season ahead. He is a good forward and hopefully he will help us move forward in the upcoming season because of his goal-scoring capacity. We are expecting him to be productive for this club,” said Lotfi. “We bought him to help us to win the league title next season and represent well the country in the CAF Confederation Cup.” Possibly, Lotfi could give Ndikumana many minutes to confirm his place in attack when Rayon Sports face Al Merrikh SC of Sudan at Kigali Pele Stadium on Friday, September 5. Al Merrikh are in Kigali for early preparations for the CAF Champions League. Ndikumana previously played for Genclik Gücü of Turkey, Bumamuru FC and Aigle Noir FC of Burundi.
