Injured Hakizimana faces up to six months out

APR FC will be without attacking midfielder Muhadjir Hakizimana who will be out of action for up to six months after a left ankle injury he sustained during training last Thursday. He picked the injury after clashing with his teammate central defender, Helve Rugwiro during a training session. The development is bad news for Jimmy Mulisa ahead of the Saturday clash with arch-rivals Rayon Sports at Amahoro Stadium as four of his players are nursing injuries. But Mulisa has said the injury will not stop his team from performing. “It is always bad if you have injuries on the team, but we have to work with the rest of the squad. In football you cannot avoid such situations, we will work with what we have to stay on top level,” Mulisa said. He noted that the situation is a chance for other players to show what they are capable of. Hakizimana injured his left ankle last Wednesday, during a training session and doctors gave him up to six months before he can fully recover. “I am really frustrated because if you consider the recovery time, six months is a long period of time. The injury will derail my performance; I will miss a lot of games this season. I just have to be calm and go through the treatment until when I recover,” Hakizimana said. The midfielder already missed the game against Marines which ended 2-0 in favour of APR last Friday. He might miss the rest of the first round of the national league championship as well as the two CAF 2017 Champions League games against Zanaco of Zambia scheduled to be played in February. Other APR players nursing injuries include striker, Blaise Itangishaka, and holding midfielder Andrew Butera. Also striker Maxime Sekamana still needs some 2-weeks to recuperate from a knee surgery, although he is back in training. Another forward, Onesme Twizerimana who also underwent the operation in Morocco has not fully recovered. Michel Rusheshangoga who also missed the fixture against Marines due to injury will be available for Saturday’s assignment. APR is second on the table with 30 points. editorial@newtimes.co.rw