AS Kigali head coach Shaban Mbarushimana has attributed the club’s poor run of form in the Rwanda Premier League to what he describes as a lack of squad depth. The Citizens suffered their sixth defeat of the season after losing 2-1 to Al-Merrikh on Sunday, December 7, at Kigali Pele Stadium. The loss left AS Kigali sitting 15th on the league table with nine points from 11 matches, and Mbarushimana admits his team is struggling to compete with stronger sides. “It is hard to expect winning matches from a team with such a weak squad that is not able to play many matches. We don’t have a good squad that can earn points in case you can’t rotate players,” the coach said. He added that fatigue is taking a toll on his players, who have been forced to play high-intensity matches with little rest and no reliable backup from the bench. “We will need miracles to even win matches. I have players who are tired because we have been facing strong teams in a few days. It took a lot of effort, because if you look at the players we are using, they are the same. They are 11 players, and I don’t have choices from the bench. I only keep using the same players.” Mbarushimana urged the club’s management to be active in the January transfer window if AS Kigali is to avoid a deeper slump and remain competitive. The team’s struggles have been compounded by injuries to key players, including striker Prince Rudasingwa and defender Gilbert Dusingizimana who are both sidelined through injuries. AS Kigali’s next league test will be a crucial fixture against AS Muhanga at Muhanga Stadium on December 13.
