Trio off to top Spanish football academy

Second division side Sports Empowerment Academy (Sec) has sent three youngsters for training at the Royal European Football Academy in Valencia, Spain, The New Times understands.The trio of right-back Yves Rwigema, midfielder Anderson Neza and striker Fiston Nkizingabo, left the country on Saturday night and will stay there until next June.According to Sec Academy chairman, Augustin Munyandamutsa, the players were supposed to leave last week but didn’t get the visas on time.“It is opportunity that we got through the local football governing body (Ferwafa) and we are indeed happy that our boys are going to learn from the best in this business,” Munyandamutsa told Times Sport.He added, “Besides playing football, they will also continue their academic studies there and if any team gets interested in any of them, they have to talk with Royal European Academy Spain.”Ferwafa chairman Celestin Ntagungira says Rwanda will continue to send the young players to the Spanish academy.This comes barely a month after the Rwanda Football Federation and the Royal Spanish Football Federation signed an agreement of cooperation.The deal was signed on August 22.Ferwafa finds the grassroots and youth development structures as the single most important strategy that could help turn around the country’s fortunes in football, Ntagungira said.In a related development, Sec Academy will also send five players to play for Portuguese fourth division side ADFA (Associação Desportiva de Fornos de Algodres).The five players include Isonga goalkeeper Steven Ntalibi and midfielder Shadad Nsengayire, APR central defender Hertier Turatsinze and striker Isaac Muganza, as well as AS Kigali defender Soter Kayumba.All the players were on loan last season from the Kicukiro-based Sec academy.