The highly anticipated opening match at the newly refurbished Amahoro National Stadium ended in a scoreless stalemate between arch rivals Rayon Sports and APR FC.
Despite a packed stadium with 45,000 enthusiastic fans, neither team managed to break the deadlock in this friendly encounter on Saturday.
The match began with a cautious approach from both sides, with neither team showing a clear dominance in the early stages. Both teams fielded new faces, with Rayon Sports featuring Niyonzima Olivier (Sefu), Jackson Lunanga, Nshimiyimana Emmanuel, Yenga, and Ndayizimire Richard.
The first half saw a few promising opportunities, with Charles Bbaale of Rayon Sports forcing a good save from APR FC’s Ishimwe Pierre in the 72nd minute.
The second half mirrored the first, with substitutions made on both sides – Mugisha Desire and Ibiok replacing Iraguha Hadji for Rayon Sports, and Tuyisenge Arsene coming on for Mugisha Gilbert for APR FC.
Rayon Sports pushed hard in the closing minutes, but their final decisions lacked the necessary precision to convert chances into goals.
A late substitution saw Karenga Lenga replace the ineffective Charles Bbaale for Rayon Sports, but it wasn’t enough to change the outcome.
The final whistle blew after three minutes of stoppage time, leaving the score at 0-0. While the fans may have hoped for a more thrilling encounter, the renovated Peace Stadium witnessed a defensive battle between the two Rwandan giants.
