Rayon Sports F.C.
Rayon Sports Football Club is an association football club from Nyanza, Southern province, Rwanda, now based in Kigali. The team currently competes in the Rwanda National Football League, and plays its home games at the Stade Amahoro in Kigali and Kigali Pele Stadium, Nyamirambo. For some years, its daily operations were held in the southern province in Nyanza District.[2] They've won 9 Rwandan Premier League titles, the 2nd most Premier League titles. Throughout its history, the club has won 9 Rwandan Cups, 1 CECAFA Clubs' Cup, 9 peace Cups, 3 Agaciro Cups, 2 Intwali Cups and a Kigali 100 Years' Cup and 1 Father Fraipont memorial tournament. The blues of Rwanda are said to have more than 80% of Football fans in the country, which makes it the most popular team in Rwanda and the only competent citizen-owned club in the country of a thousand hills.
Full name | Rayon Sports Football Club | ||
---|---|---|---|
Nickname(s) | Gikundiro (The adorable) | ||
Founded | May 1965 | ||
Ground | Stade Régional Nyamirambo[1] Kigali, Rwanda | ||
Capacity | 22,000 | ||
Chairman | Uwayezu Jean Fidèle | ||
Manager | Yamen Zelfani (Alfani) | ||
League | Rwanda Premier League | ||
2022–23 | 3rd | ||
Website | Club website | ||
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History
The club was founded in May 1968 in Nyanza, but moved to the nation's capital, Kigali, in 1986 before moving back in 2012 following an agreement with the Nyanza District authorities. Gikundiro spent few months in Nyanza and returned to Kigali where it is based currently. [2] In 2012, the club also absorbed Nyanza Football Club, which was relegated from the Rwanda National Football League after the 2011–12 season. [3]
Honours
Domestic competitions
- Rwandan Peace Cup: 10
- 1976, 1979, 1982, 1989, 1993, 1995, 1998, 2005, 2016, 2023.
- Rwandan Super Cup: 2
- 2017, 2023
Performance in CAF competitions
- CAF Champions League / African Cup of Champions Clubs : 9 appearances
- CAF Confederation Cup: 4 appearances
- CAF Cup: 2 appearances
- 1993 – Preliminary Round
- 2002 – Quarter-Finals
- CAF Cup Winners' Cup: 4 appearances
- 1990 – First Round
- 1994 – Second Round
- 1996 – First Round
- 2000 – Second Round
Current squad (2023-2024
Goal keepers
1. GK RWA Hakizimana Adolphe (22)
2. GK UGA Simon Tamale
3. GK RWA Hategekimana Bonheur (1)
DEFENDERS
5. RB RWA ganijuru elie
6. CD RWA Mitima Isaac (23)
7. CD RWA Nsabimana Aimable
8. CD RWA Rwatubyaye Abdul (C)(4)
9.LB RWA Mujyanama Fidele
10.CD RWA Ngendahimana Eric (8)
11.RB RWA Hakim Bugingo
Midfielders
12.CM BUR mbirizi Eric (66)
13.DMF RWA Mugisha Francois (15)
14.DMF RWA Manishimwe Eric (14)
15.DMF NIG RAPHAEL Osalue (7)
16.DMF BUR Aruna Mousa Madjaliwa
17.CM RWA kanamugire roger (5)
18.CAM RWA ndekwe Felix (17)
19.CAM RWA IRAGUHA HADJI (29)
20. CM RDC Hertier nzinga Luvumbu (28)
Strikers
21.CF UGA Charles Bbale (9)
22.CF UGA Mussa Essenu (20)
23.RW/LW RWA IRADUKUNDA PASCAL (21)
24.AM MORR Youssef Rharb (10)
25.RW UGA Joachim ojera
26.LW DRC Jonathan Ifunga Iffaso
27.RW RWA TUYISENGE Arsene (19)
28.CF RWA Rudasingwa Prince (27)
Staff
- Head coach: Yamen Zalfani TUN
- Assistance Coach : Rwaka Claude RWA
- Goalkeeper coach: Kalisa Calliopie RWA
- Fitness coach: LEBITSA AYABONGA RSA
- Doctor: Mugemana Charles RWA
- Team Manager : Adrien RWA
- Kit manager : Claude RWA
Notable coaches
- name N/A (19??–85)
- Longin Rudasingwa (1995–00)
- René Kalimunda (2007–08)
- Raoul Shungu (2009)
- Tierry Hitimana
- Baptiste Kayiranga
- Fatikaramu
- Kanyankore Gilbert Youndé
- Didier Gomes Da Rosa (2012–2013)
- Jean Marie Ntagwabira
- Luc Eymael
- David Donadei
- Masudi Djuma (2015–2017)
- Karekezi Olivier (2017–2018)
- Ivan Minnaert (2018)
- Roberto Oliveira Goncalves do Carmo (2018–)
- Javier Martinez Espinosa ( September 2019 To December 2019)
- Casa Bungo André (December 2019 to May 2020)
- Guy Bukasa (May 2020 to 2022)
- Haringingo Francis(2022 to 2023)
References
- "Rwanda – Rayon Sports FC – Results, fixtures, squad, statistics, photos, videos and news – Soccerway".
- Historique de l'équipe (in French)
- "Rayon Sport na Nyanza FC zifatanyije zatangiye imyitozo n'ibikoresho bicye" (in Kinyarwanda). Umuseke.rw. 13 August 2012. Retrieved 5 June 2014.