Category: Sports

The Rwanda Football Federation (FERWAFA) announced the new technical team on Sunday, March 2, 2025.

Several candidates had expressed interest in replacing German coach Torsten Spittler, but FERWAFA selected Amrouche, who boasts extensive experience coaching various teams across Africa.

Amrouche will be assisted by Eric Nshimiyimana, who returns to the senior national team after a decade, having previously coached Rwanda’s U-20 squad. Also on the bench is German coach Dr Carolin Braun, who previously worked alongside Amrouche with Botswana’s national team.

Before his appointment, Amrouche was among five football experts working with former Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger on a FIFA project aimed at enhancing talent development and establishing football academies worldwide.

A well-known figure in the region, Amrouche first gained prominence as Burundi’s national team coach from 2007 to 2012, playing a key role in sending over 15 players to European clubs, including Papy Faty and Saido Ntibazonkiza.

He led Kenya to victory in the 2014 CECAFA tournament, defeating Rwanda twice in the process. More recently, he guided Tanzania to the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), fielding the youngest squad in the competition.

Amrouche holds a UEFA Pro License and was responsible for training coaches in Belgium, including Luc Eymael, who previously coached in Rwanda.

His appointment comes just 10 days before Amavubi enter a training camp in preparation for their upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Rwanda will face Nigeria on March 17 and Lesotho on March 24, with both matches set to take place at Amahoro Stadium.

French cyclist Fabien Doubey has been crowned the champion of the Tour du Rwanda 2025 after rain forced the cancellation of the final stage on Sunday, March 2.

The decision was made by the President of the UCI jury, citing dangerous road conditions that made it unsafe for riders to continue.

With the final stage halted with one lap remaining, the general classification standings from Stage 6 were used to determine the overall winner.

Doubey, representing TotalEnergies, had established a strong lead with a total race time of 19 hours, 35 minutes, and 12 seconds.

Eritrea’s Henok Mulueberhan finished second, just six seconds behind, while Germany’s Oliver Mattheis of Bike Aid secured third place, 11 seconds adrift.

Milan Donie (Lotto Dstny) placed fourth, followed by Adria Pericas (UAE Team Emirates Gen-Z) in fifth, 25 seconds behind the leader. Joris Delbove (TotalEnergies) finished sixth, 43 seconds off the pace, while Rwanda’s Masengesho Vainqueur took seventh, 51 seconds behind.

Juan Martinez (Development Team) placed eighth, followed by Awet Aman (UCI WCC) in ninth, and Brady Gilmore (Israel – Premier Tech) in tenth, both 1 minute and 2 seconds behind.

The awarding ceremony was graced by Minister of Sports Nelly Mukazayire and Rwanda Development Board CEO Jean-Guy Afrika.

The 17th edition of the Tour du Rwanda was flagged off by President Paul Kagame at BK Arena on February 23.

The prestigious cycling event, which has gained international recognition, brings together top cyclists from Africa and beyond, who traverse all four provinces of Rwanda as well as the City of Kigali.

The Tour du Rwanda is more than just a race; it serves as a platform to showcase Rwanda’s breathtaking landscapes and vibrant culture.

The event plays a crucial role in promoting tourism and economic growth, drawing visitors from around the globe and uniting Rwandans, who passionately line the race routes to cheer for their favourite riders.

Despite a strong performance by Duarte Marivoet Scholiers from UAZ, who claimed victory in the stage, Delbove’s commanding lead remains intact.

Delbove, who has worn the yellow jersey for consecutive stages, finished 11th in Stage 5, but his overall time of 16 hours, 25 minutes, and 33 seconds keeps him at the top of the general classification.

His closest competitor, teammate Fabien Doubey, trails by a mere 2 seconds, while Oliver Mattheis from Bike Aid follows closely, just 5 seconds behind.

Despite winning Stage 5 with a time of 4 hours, 5 minutes, and 1 second, Duarte Marivoet Scholiers remains more than three minutes off the general classification lead, meaning his victory did not threaten Delbove’s dominance.

Stage 5 witnessed intense competition over the challenging terrain. Awet Aman from CMC finished in second place, trailing Marivoet by 25 seconds, while Fabien Doubey secured third, helping Team TotalEnergies maintain its strong presence at the top of the leaderboard.

Notably, two Rwandan cyclists, Masengesho Vainqueur and Manizabayo Eric, secured spots among the top 10, finishing 8th and 10th, respectively.

The race moves into Stage 6 on Saturday, with cyclists tackling a 131.5 km route from Nyanza to Canal Olympia, passing through Bugesera.

With the competition heating up and margins narrowing, all eyes will be on whether Joris Delbove can maintain his yellow jersey or if a new leader will emerge.

As the Tour du Rwanda 2025 heads into its final stages, the stakes remain high, and the battle for the overall title promises even more drama and excitement.

Sports Direct has declared the Premier League title race over and announced Liverpool as unofficial Champions.

With 10 games to go, the retail giants wanted to be first to congratulate the Reds. The store has launched a range of unofficial Champions 25 T-shirts and replica shirts to celebrate Liverpool’s triumph.

A Sports Direct spokesperson said: “We wanted to be the first to congratulate Liverpool for their remarkable run this season. The launch of our unofficial champions T-shirt and printed replica shirts offers fans the chance to celebrate early, ahead of the final Premier League push.”

According to him, Liverpool ‘secured’ the title after their thrilling 2-0 victory over Newcastle United. The match saw Liverpool extend their lead at the top of the table, with an early goal from Dominik Szoboszlai and a 63rd-minute strike from Alexis Mac Allister.

In the Midlands, Arsenal dropped points for the second time in four days, drawing 0-0 with Nottingham Forest, to effectively signal the end of their title hopes.

Liverpool fans can now order a ‘Champions 25’ replica shirt. It boasts Champions and the number 25 on the back, while ‘Champions 25’ is also embroidered around the club badge.

After the Newcastle game, Coach Slot was asked if he felt the title was close but said his focus was on the next game against PSG in the Champions League next week.

He said: “I don’t know because I don’t think that way. I think about Paris Saint-Germain already. What you don’t know but what I do know, because I watched them against City, because we played City, and I’m impressed by the quality they have.

“I think they are in a similar run as we are hardly lost any single game for a long time. Though I’m not always correct in data because two days ago my son told me that I made a big, big, big mistake by saying Cristiano Ronaldo never played in the Premier League.

“So, I’m not sure if Paris Saint-Germain has the same run as ours but they are doing really well. So, my main focus is on Paris Saint-Germain.

“I forget the league table now, I forget the Premier League now until the moment we’ve played Paris Saint-Germain and then I will start to think about the Premier League again.”

Both teams started the match with high intensity, seeking an early goal. In the 9th minute, AS Kigali’s striker, Emmanuel Okwi, found the back of the net, scoring the opening goal.

Positioned outside the penalty box, Okwi spotted Police FC goalkeeper Niyongira Patience off his line and struck the ball past his outstretched hands.

The goal ignited Police FC’s determination, and they responded in the 19th minute with a powerful strike from Bigirimana Abedi, who scored from outside the box to equalize.

The first half, which included three minutes of added time, ended with both teams tied at 1-1.

The second half was tightly contested in midfield. Early on, Police FC came close to scoring when AS Kigali’s defender misjudged a pass to Cyuzuzo Aime Gael, whose effort narrowly missed the target as the goalkeeper was caught off his line.

In the 71st minute, substitute Ani Elijah, who had replaced Byiringiro Lague, capitalized on a defensive lapse by AS Kigali to score Police FC’s second goal. The AS Kigali defense appeared to hesitate, believing Elijah was offside.

With the 2-1 victory, Police FC takes an advantage into the second leg, scheduled between March 4-5, 2025.

Gilmore secured the win in a sprint finish, mirroring his triumph in Stage Two in Musanze.

This victory marks his second stage win in the Tour du Rwanda.

As a result, Rwanda, particularly Musanze and Rubavu, will always hold a special place in his memory as the locations where he celebrated his first professional victories.

Eric Manizabayo of Java-InovoTec was the highest-placed Rwandan, finishing ninth in Rubavu, just six seconds behind the winner.

The top seven riders, including yellow jersey holder Fabien Doubey, all completed the stage in 2 hours, 55 minutes, and 14 seconds.

The 29-year-old Lawal was reportedly heading to the club’s training ground at St. Mary’s Stadium in Entebbe, Central Region of Uganda, but got involved in an accident on Entebbe Road that claimed his life.

Abdul Wasike, the Vipers SC head of communications confirmed the sad news on Monday. “It is a sad day as we communicate the death of our player Lawal. We are still trying to gather more information about the accident,” said Wasike.

The Nigerian forward, who played a pivotal part for SC Vipers, joined the club in 2022 from Rwanda Premier League side AS Kigali.

He previously played in the Nigerian Premier League with Kano Pillars FC, Wikki Tourists FC and FC Nasarawa.

Mulubrhan completed the stage in a time of 3 hours, 57 minutes, and 52 seconds, securing first place in a tightly contested finish. He edged out Rotem Tene of Israel Premier Tech, who finished second, and Lorrenzo Manzin of TotalEnergies, who claimed third place. Milan Menten (Lotto) and Brady Gilmore (Israel Premier Tech) rounded out the top five.

A total of 51 riders clocked the same time as the stage winner, underscoring the intensity of the competition.

Among the Rwandan riders, Byukusenge Patrick (Java-InovoTec) was the highest finisher, securing 13th place with the same time as the leader.

Other notable Rwandan performers included Ngendahayo Jeremie (May Stars) in 17th place, Masengesho Vainqueur (Team Rwanda) in 21st, Mugisha Moise (Team Rwanda) in 28th, and Manizabayo Eric (Java-InovoTec) in 32nd.

Meanwhile, Munyaneza Didier (Team Rwanda) finished 63rd, trailing by 1 minute and 15 seconds.

Fabien Doubey of TotalEnergies leads the general classification with a time of 4 hours, 1 minute, and 43 seconds, followed closely by Milan Menten from Lotto Development Team.

Joris Delbove, also of TotalEnergies, trails by just one second, while Oliver Mattheis of Bike Aid is three seconds behind the leader. Pavel Šumpik from Devo Team Picnic sits in fifth place, four seconds back.

Eritrea’s Henok Mulubrhan holds the 12th position, 10 seconds off the lead, while Aldo Taillieu of Lotto Devo Team shares the same time in 15th place. Rwanda’s Masengesho Vainqueur ranks 26th, 21 seconds behind, with Byukusenge Patrick also in contention.

President Paul Kagame and International Cycling Union President David Lappartient officially flagged off the 17th edition of the Tour du Rwanda which started with the prologue at BK Arena on Sunday morning.

The eight-day race continues on Tuesday with Stage 2, covering 112.8 kilometers from Kigali’s MIC building to Musanze.