Fall Ngagne’s lone strike in the second half propelled Rayon Sports to edge past Etincelles, securing their sixth consecutive win and regaining the top spot in the Rwanda Premier League.
Rayon Sports beat Etincelles 1-0 on Saturday, November 9, thanks to Senegalese attacker Fall Ngagne. The victory marks their sixth consecutive win without conceding a single goal.
After a goalless first half, Azi Bassane came on for Charles Bbaale, adding pace and rhythm to the left flank, which caused problems for Etincelles’ defense.
Adama Bakayoko also replaced Hadji Iraguha, and the young Malian left-footed player assisted Fall Ngagne in the 67th minute to give the Blues a 1-0 lead, which they held until the final whistle. The goal was Ngagne’s third of the season.
Etincelles had an opportunity to equalize when Soumaila Moro’s strike was flagged offside, though video footage later revealed that the assistant referee had made an error.
Rayon Sports have now played eight matches in the 2024-25 Rwanda Premier League season, keeping clean sheets in seven of them.
With 20 points from 8 matches, Rayon Sports return to the top of the table with a game in hand. Gorilla are in second with 18 points, followed by Police with 15 points and AS Kigali with 14 points.
Sunday’s action will feature a double-header at KPS, with APR facing Rutsiro at 3 PM, followed by AS Kigali’s clash with Police at 6 PM.
The league will pause for international fixtures after these matches.
APR's Mamadou Sy in Action During Matchday 9 Against Vision FC at KPS
APR Football Club bounced back from a forfeit to defeat Vision FC 2-0 in the Rwanda Premier League, with Mamadou Sy scoring both goals from the penalty spot.
APR dominated Vision FC on Thursday, November 7, at KPS to claim three points in the Rwanda Premier League Matchday 9.
Mamadou Sy converted a penalty kick 10 minutes after kickoff to give the army team an early lead and the confidence to control possession for much of the game.
With nearly the entire RDF Etat Major present, including CDS Gen. Mubarakh MUGANGA, the black and whites continued to dictate the tempo of the match, though they did not rush their attacking play, ending the first half with a 1-0 lead.
Five minutes into the second half, right-back Jean Gilbert Byiringiro won APR’s second penalty, which was once again converted by Mamadou Sy.
As with the first penalty, referee Eric Dushimimana booked Vision FC players for protesting. Goalkeeper James Bienvenue Désiré and defender Stephen Bonney were both cautioned.
With a 2-0 lead, APR’s Darko Novic began making substitutions, giving playing time to several players, including Froduard Mugiraneza, who has rarely featured this season.
The two-goal win lifted APR to 13th place with 7 points. They will face Rutsiro in a rescheduled match on November 10.
Elsewhere in Huye, a 10-man Mukura defeated Police FC 2-0 thanks to goals from Boateng Mensah Agyenim and Bonheur Sunzu. The latter was sent off for a second yellow card after removing his shirt to celebrate his goal, despite already being booked.
The league action resumes on Saturday, with Rayon Sports taking on Etincelles at KPS.
APR FC was sanctioned for fielding seven foreign players against Gorilla FC on Matchday 8, exceeding the six-player limit established by the Rwanda Premier League (RPL) rules.
Following the goalless draw on RPL Matchday 8 at Kigali Pele Stadium, Gorilla FC promptly lodged a complaint with the local football governing body (FERWAFA), accusing APR FC of breaching Article 8.2 of the rules and regulations for FERWAFA-organized competitions.
On Wednesday, the Rwanda Premier League board announced that the FERWAFA Competitions Commission had decided to forfeit APR FC’s Matchday 8 game against Gorilla FC, played on November 3, 2024, due to APR FC fielding more foreign players than the league’s regulation limit.
The article states that teams are allowed to list up to 10 foreign players on their team sheet but are restricted to fielding no more than six foreign players on the pitch at any given time.
Hence, Gorilla FC won the match 3-0 against APR FC, the defending champions, who were also fined 100,000 RWF.
The FA’s decision was announced after the team decided to dismiss manager Capt. (Rtd.) Eric Ntazinda and reappoint Maj. Elias Kavuna.
The forfeit has altered the RPL standings, with Gorilla FC moving ahead of Rayon Sports to claim the top spot.
APR FC is currently in 15th place with 4 points from 3 matches but will have the chance to climb out of the relegation zone today, Nov. 7, when they face Vision FC.
Charles Bbaale’s second-half lone goal secured a victory for Rayon Sports over Musanze in their Rwanda Premier League (RPL) matchday 9 clash and sent them to the top of the table.
The Blues have on this Wednesday, November 6, triumphed 1-0 away to Musanze, bringing their total points to 17 and extending their winning streak to five matches.
A solitary goal in the 50th minute by Ugandan forward Charles Bbaale was enough to separate the sides at Ubworoherane, marking Rayon’s third consecutive away victory.
Rayon Sports, under Robertinho this season, drew their first two matches against Marines and Amagaju before going on a five-match undefeated run, which included a 4-0 win over rivals Kiyovu, taking them to the top of the table.
Rayon Sports will host Etincelles in a rescheduled match on November 11 at KPS, before the international break.
Other RPL Matchday 9 Results:
As Kigali 1-2 Marine FC (Emmanuel Okwi | Ebenezer Niyigena, Mubaraka Nizeyimana)
Muhazi United 3-0 Amagaju (Babuwa Samson, Joseph Sackey, Ibrahim Abdul Amini)
Rwanda head coach Frank Torsten Spittler has announced a 30-man provisional squad for the upcoming Group D matches against Libya and Nigeria in the 2025 AFCON Qualifiers.
Rwanda’s head coach, Frank Torsten Spittler, announced a 30-man provisional squad on Wednesday, November 6, to begin preparations for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers (2025 AFCON Qualifiers) matches against Libya and Nigeria.
Among the players called up, Phanuel Kavita Mabaya, a 31-year-old defender who plies his trade for USA’s Birmingham Legion FC, received his first national team call-up.
Pacifique Ngabonziza earned his call-up to the senior national team following his impressive performance against Djibouti in the CHAN qualifiers. In addition, Didie Ndayishimiye and Fils Francois Habineza have been called up from the U-20 team.
Habineza is also the only local player from the second division included in the 30-man squad.
Torsten Spittler’s team will begin their training camp on November 11 at the Amahoro training pitch.
Amavubi will host Libya at Amahoro Stadium on November 14, before traveling to Uyo, Nigeria, to face the Super Eagles on November 18 at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium.
Currently, Nigeria leads Group D of the 2025 AFCON Qualifiers with 10 points, followed by Benin with 6 points, Rwanda with 5 points, and Libya at the bottom with 1 point.
Amavubi provisional squad:
Goalkeepers: Fiacre Ntwari (Kaizer Chiefs), Clement Twizere Buhake (Ullensaker/KISA), Gad Muhawenayo (Gorilla), and Fils Francois Habineza (Etoile de l’Est, 2nd Div. Rwanda).
The Rwanda National Basketball Team continues its intensive training at the Amahoro Indoor Stadium as part of its preparations for the first window of the AfroBasket 2025 Qualifiers, scheduled to begin on November 22 in Senegal.
Under the leadership of Dr. Cheikh Sarr, the team has been in residential training since November 1, as the start of the eagerly awaited AfroBasket 2025 Qualifiers Window 1 draws closer.
The national men’s basketball team is currently intensively training at the Petit Stade and camping at the Kigali Delight Hotel.
They hold two training sessions a day at Amahoro Indoor Stadium, Petit Stade, with guidance from head coach Dr. Cheikh Sarr, first assistant coach Yves Murenzi, and second assistant coach Kenny Gasana.
Dr. Cheikh Sarr, Head Coach of the Rwanda National Basketball TeamNshobozwabyosenumukiza is among the players in training after leading APR to back-to-back league titles.
Rwanda is in Group C for the AfroBasket 2025 Qualifiers, alongside Senegal, Cameroon, and Gabon.
The team will depart from Kigali on November 17 for Dakar, Senegal, where they will face the host country in the opening game on November 22. They will then play against Cameroon on November 23 and Gabon on November 24.
There are five groups in total, and the top three teams from each group will advance to join Angola, the host country, to complete the 16-team lineup for the tournament.
A provisional 15-man roster called by Dr. Cheikh Sarr:
Antino Alvarez Jackson Jr., Ntore Habimana, Alexandre Aerts, Jean Jacques Nshobozwabyosenumukiza, William Robeyns, Kenny Manzi, Dieudonné Ndizeye Ndayisaba, Steven Hagumintwali, Emile Galois Kazeneza, Axel Olenga Mpoyo, Bruno Shema, Prince Muhizi, Cadeaux de Dieu Furaha, Osborn Shema, and Noah Bigirumwami.
Olivier Ntagengwa and Venuste Gatsinzi, together with Valentine Munezero and her partner Benitha Mukandayisenga, claimed the gold medals in the 2024-25 First Rwanda Beach Volleyball National Tour on Sunday, November 3, at the King Fisher Resort-Muhazi.
The Rwanda Volleyball National League briefly paused after the second round to shift from indoor play to beach volleyball, according to the calendar set by the local governing body, FRVB.
The first weekend of November kicked off the Rwanda Beach Volleyball National Tour, with players trading their shoes for sand to compete, and King Fisher Resort was the central hub for the first round of the 2024-25 season.
Following the pool games held on Friday and Saturday, the quarterfinals were set up as follows:
Men’s Quarter-Finals:
Gatsinzi/Ntagengwa vs. Shema/Munezero
Kavalo/Gloire vs. Koita/Matheus
Mandela/Levis vs. Gisubizo/Sam
Paul/Prince vs. Vincent/Rwahama
Women’s Quarter-Finals:
Amito/Lizzy vs. Teta/Sandra
Aline/Solange vs. Nirere/Fanny
Mpeti Lolo/Ukpabi vs. Tuyishime/Alba
Diane/Penelope vs. Benitha/Valentine
Immediately in the women’s category, the competitors vied for places in the semifinals. Amito/Lizzy advanced to face Nirere/Yankurije, while Ukpabi/Mpeti set up a semifinal clash against Benitha/Valentine.
Gatsinzi/Ntagengwa, Kavalo/Gloire, Mandela/Levis, and Paul/Prince advanced to the men’s semifinals.
The pair of Olivier Ntagengwa and Venuste Gatsinzi defeated Kavalo Patrick Akumuntu and Gloire Niyonkuru in a two-set semifinal match, while Paul Akan and Prince Rwahama easily overcame Mandela and Levis.
Olivier Ntagengwa and Venuste Gatsinzi won the Rwanda Beach Volleyball National Tour Round 1, following a convincing 2-0 victory over APR’s Prince Kanamugire and Paul Akan.
Olivier Ntagengwa (2) and Venuste Gatsinzi (1) posed with Prince Kanamugire (1) and Paul Akan (9) before the final game.
Ntagengwa and Gatsinzi are both regular members of the national team and currently hold the highest ranking in the country, with a total of 1,024 points.
They have been playing together for some time, holding the 5th position on the continent and ranking 145th in the FIVB Men’s Beach Volleyball World ranking, as released on October 28, 2024.
Valentine Munezero and Benitha Mukandayisenga defeated the Police WVC duo of Ariane Nirere and Francoise Yankurije 2-0 to claim the women’s gold medals in this first tour.
As Rwanda’s top pair, Munezero and Mukandayisenga represent the country in various international tournaments. They currently hold the 113th position in the world and third in Africa, with a total of 1,296 points in the latest FIVB Women’s Beach Volleyball World Ranking.
Rwanda National Olympic Committee President Alice Umulinga and FRVB Vice President Eric Nsabimana congratulated Munezero and Benitha (R) while awarding them gold medals and a trophy.
Levis and his partner Mandera secured third place in the men’s category, while Ukupabi, who teamed up with Mpeti Lolo Irene, claimed third place in the women’s category.
A total of 44 players, competing in both men’s and women’s categories, participated in the first round of the tournament at King Fisher on Lake Muhazi.
Fourteen pairs in the men’s category and eight pairs in the women’s category participated in this three-day competition, which wrapped up on Sunday, October 3.
The Rwanda Beach Volleyball National Tour featured national teams that participated to refresh their pairs. It also offered a chance to earn points, as it is sanctioned by the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB).
The second round is scheduled for January 3-5, 2025, at Karongi, while the third and final round will be held in Rubavu along the shores of Lake Kivu, as outlined in the FRVB yearly calendar.
On the horizon, volleyball will shift back to indoor competition for the taxpayer appreciation tournament.
More Photos:
Alice Umuringa, RNOC PresidentHis name is Crispin Ntanteteri. While he may look like a libero, he is actually a regular setter for Police VC.Levis and Mandela posed after clinching a bronze medal
Gloire and Kavalo, another pair from the national team, secured fourth place in the Rwanda Beach Volleyball National Tour Round 1.King Fisher Resort has the best view for beach volleyball fans.
Rayon Sports triumphed over SC Kiyovu in the Rwanda Premier League for the first time since 2019 to hand the Green Baggies a sixth consecutive defeat, deepening their plight in the relegation zone.
The blues ended a five-year winless streak against Kiyovu on Saturday, November 2, thanks to second half four goals at Kigali Pelé Stadium.
Hadji Iraguha started the scoring in the 57th minute with a long-range effort that the Kiyovu goalkeeper should have handled better.
Iraguha then doubled the lead in the 76th minute, before Fall Ngagne made it three just two minutes later, thanks to a well-placed pass from Kevin Muhire.
Substitute Adabama Bagayoko, who assisted Iraguha’s first goal, sealed the win with a powerful strike in the fifth minute of stoppage time.
This win is Rayon Sports’ fourth in a row, moving them to second place in the league with 14 points, just one point behind the leaders, Police, who have played one more game.
Meanwhile, Kiyovu’s losing streak has reached 6 matches, placing them at the bottom of the table with 3 points in 7 matches.
This isn’t the first time Rayon Sports has brought hardship to Kiyovu; the blues beat Kiyovu 2-1 in 2017 at Mumena on the final matchday of the league, resulting in Kiyovu’s relegation.
They didn’t relegate as Intare FA, which was supposed to be promoted to the first division, opted for development and stayed in the second division, allowing Kiyovu to keep their spot in the top flight league.
The Rwanda Energy Group team lost to Egypt’s Al Ahly, 93-68, in the final of the 2024 FIBA Women’s Basketball League Africa Qualifiers ( WBLA Zone V).
On November 2, REG lost their second consecutive Zone V final, but they still secured a place in Africa’s prestigious club women’s competition.
The 2024 champions of Rwanda, REG, had an unbeaten streak leading up to the final, where they faced the reigning Egyptian champion, Al Ahly.
The championship match at Amaan Indoor Sports Hall in Zanzibar was tightly contested in the first three quarters, 22-21, 17-17, and 25-22, leaving REG just four points behind.
However, in the final quarter, Nadine Mohamed Sayed Soliman Mohamed, the 2021 Afrobasket top scorer, along with experienced Raneem Elgedawy, took control of the game. They significantly outscored REG while limiting them to just eight points.
Al Ahly’s 29 points in the final quarter led to a decisive 93-68 victory. Sayed and Elgedawy, both named to the tournament’s best five, contributed 43 points to Al Ahly’s total. Sayed scored 23 points, grabbed 8 rebounds, and provided 3 assists, while Elgedawy recorded a double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds.
REG’s scoring largely depended on three players: Destiney Philoxy, Morgan King, and Victoria Reynolds, who collectively scored 64 points, making up 94.1% of the team’s total.
DP and Raneem battled for possession of the ball in the WBLA Zone V final.
DP had a game-high 25 points, King contributed 21, and Reynolds added 18, and it’s clear that a team can’t succeed relying solely on three scorers.
This defeat marks REG’s first loss under coach Julian Martinez since he took over in September 2024.
Meanwhile, APR, also representing Rwanda, secured third place, with Italee Lucas earning a top scorer award and a spot in the tournament’s best five.
Lucas joins Sayed and Elgedawy from Al Ahly, KPA’s Nkem Akaraiwe, and Lidiya Uduru from Ethiopia’s Hawassa City in the 2024 WBLA Zone V’s best team | Photo: Innocent SHEMA
Both Al Ahly and REG Women BBC will represent Zone V at the 2024 WBLA in Dakar.
Last season, Alexandria Sporting Club from Egypt won the title, while REG finished fourth.
Victoria Reynolds scored 26 points, dished out 10 assists, and grabbed 8 rebounds, leading REG Women BBC to an 82-77 victory over APR in the Zone V competition and book a place in the 2024 FIBA Women’s Basketball League Africa.
On November 1, at the Amaan Indoor Sports Hall in Zanzibar, the Rwandan teams vied for a spot in the 2024 FIBA WBLA, and REG BBC triumphed once more, thanks to Victoria Reynolds.
Julian Martinez’s REG controlled the game in the first three quarters, outscoring the army team 19-14, 28-16, and 22-21 to build an 18-point lead before the final quarter.
APR attempted a comeback in the last quarter but fell short, finishing 5 points behind at 77-82.
Victoria Reynolds led the game with 26 points, recorded a game-high 10 assists, and grabbed 8 rebounds, nearly achieving a triple-double.
Reynolds put up 26 points from 11-16 field goals and 3-3 Free throws
Kristina Morgan King added a double-double with 21 points and 14 rebounds.
APR’s Italee Lucas and Kamba Diakite scored 21 and 18, respectively.
REG’s triumph over APR not only secures their place in the 2024 WBLA but also marks their fifth consecutive win, further solidifying their supremacy over Charles Mushumba’s team.
Since taking over in September, Spanish coach Martinez has kept an unbeaten record, steering REG to the 2024 RBL title in the playoffs and qualifying them for the WBLA with an undefeated streak heading into the zonal final.
Coach Julian Martinez
REG will face Egypt’s Al Ahly in the championship game on Saturday, November 2, and the 2024 WBLA will be held in Dakar, Senegal, from December 6 to 15, 2024.
