The 2021/22 Rwanda football league season which started on October 30 is expected to be tightly contested by more than two clubs. In the past, Rayon Sports has always been the biggest challenger of APR, who have dominated the league for many years. However AS Kigali, Kiyovu and Police will have a major say in the destination of this season’s trophy. At the center of the fight for the league title, Times Sport looks at 10 players who are expected to impact their respective clubs. Lamine Moro – AS Kigali Lamine Moro, a defensive defender who recently signed for AS Kigali, is a stalwart who is a calm and quick-witted player who makes it difficult for strikers to get past him easily. He is very good with using his head, especially at set pieces. The Ghanaian played for Tanzanias Yanga last season and joined AS Kigali for a fee of Rwf25m. Fitina Omborenga – APR FC He plays right-back and is one of the most experienced players for the 2020/21 league champions. He is also a fast-paced player and is very good at crossing balls for strikers and occasionally scores goals too. APR forwards will look to score many goals if he continues with his brilliant service. Isaac Nsengiyumva – Rayon Sports He joined Rayon Sports this season from Express football club of Uganda. The defensive midfielder was impressive during pre-season and helped stabilize the Blues’ midfield. He is very good at recovering lost balls from teammates and his distribution has been praised by many football pundits. Rharb Youssef – Rayon Sports He is a Moroccan who recently signed for Rayon Sports. He can play both as a number 10 or attacking midfielder, something that is likely to make him start many games for the Blues. Muhadjiri Hakizimana– Police FC This season, Hakizimana will be playing for Police FC. A number of football fans in the country know about his qualities as a player, for example, he is a good holder of the ball, a good passer, and a dead-ball specialist. He is also a scorer of goals. Though he is not a fast player, his skills are great and as usual, he can be expected to deliver. If he does not get unfortunate with injuries, Hakizimana can light up the local league this year, and yet again prove himself as one of the serious talents that Rwanda has at this time. Djabel Manishimwe– APR FC This is the third year that Manishimwe is playing for APR. Currently, he is one of the key players for the team, who provides good contribution in terms of creativity and pace. He is good at making important runs with the ball, and is endowed with good dribbling skills that make him a good ball holder. Besides making goal assists, he is also a consistent goal scorer. Muzamiru Mutyaba – SC Kiyovu The Ugandan midfielder is a player that is well known in Rwandan football, especially during his days at Rayon Sports FC. This time, he is playing for SC Kiyovu. He is one of the players that are good at taking set pieces, good passing precision, but he is also good defensively when his team is being attacked. He is also known for scoring “unexpected goals,” and with this, opponents may need to keep a keen eye on him. He has played club football for Ugandan clubs like; Maroons, Victoria University and Kampala Capital City Authority. After leaving KCCA at the end of the 2019–20 season, in January 2021 he signed for Express. He made his international debut for the Uganda Cranes in 2014. Onana Willy Essombe – Rayon Sports He is a Cameroonian who recently signed for Rayon Sports. In a friendly match he played for them, he showed that he can be a threat to opponents due to his pace, as he attacks through the wing. Emmanuel Arnold Okwi – Kiyovu Sports Emmanuel Okwi is the current captain of the Uganda national football team and is a player with experience. He has played for clubs like Simba SC of Tanzania, Tunisia’s Etoile du Sahel, Ittihad Alexandria of Egypt among others. He has scored many goals for his national team, among which he bagged two goals in the 2019 Africa Nations Cup. Hussein Shabani Tchabalala – AS Kigali The Burundian striker plays for AS Kigali. Last year, he was the top scorer in the league, and can be expected to continue that way.
