Monday, 20 January 2025

2024-2025 Rwandan Second Division

 

2024-2025 Rwandan Second Division

 

Season

2024-2025

Dates

21 September 2024 – 7 May 2025

Champions

Gicumbi FC

Promoted

Gicumbi FC

AS Muhanga

Relegated

None

Matches played

324

Goals scored

848 (2.62 goals/match on average)

Biggest home win

Intare – Nyagatare 7-0 (round 9, 16 November 2024)

Biggest away win

Alpha FC – Etoile de l’Est 1-8 (round 1, 21 September 2024)

Highest scoring

Esperance – Akagera 8-2 (round 19, 16 February 2025)

Longest winning run

La Jeunesse – 8 matches (rounds 4-11)

Longest unbeaten run

Etoile de l’Est – 25 matches (regular season + round 1 play-off)

Longest winless run

Impeesa – 15 matches (rounds 1-16)

Longest losing run

Impeesa – 9 matches (rounds 6, 1, and 8-14)

Akagera – 9 matches (rounds 14-23)

 

Competition details and format

 

The Rwandan Second Division represents the second tier in the Rwandan football system and is organized by the Federation Rwandaise de Football Association (FERWAFA).

The 2024-2025 season involved 26 teams (compared to 28 teams in 2023-2024), which were divided into two groups of 13 teams each, Group A and Group B. Most of the teams had participated in the 2023-2024 season as well, or in previous editions of the Second Division, but there were also two teams relegated from the 2023-2024 National League, as well as a few teams promoted from the Third Division or otherwise accepted. The groups were largely made up taking into account a balanced distribution of the teams in terms of value, and the geographical location, as much as possible. The competition started on 21 September 2024 and ended on 7 May 2025.

In each group, every team played every other team twice, once at home, and once away, in a double round robin championship, a total of 26 rounds. Because there was an odd number of teams in each group, in each round one team received a bye. The first half of the season started on 21 September 2024 and ended on 15 December 2024. After a break, the second half of the season started on 11 January 2025 and ended on 14 April 2025. Matches in the second half of the season were played in reverse order and reverse location compared to the first half, so that the last opponents in the first half will be the first opponents in the second half. The winners and the runners-up in each group qualified for the promotion play-offs. The promotion play-offs were played in a Final Four format, each team playing every other team twice, once at home and once away, a total of 6 rounds.

The two teams that were relegated from the National League, Sunrise FC and Etoile de l’Est, were initially considered the main favorites for promotion. They were distributed in two different groups. However, they were both outperformed by other teams in their groups in the first half of the season. In Group A, La Jeunesse were leaders after the first half of the season, 5 points ahead of Etoile de l’Est. Esperance and Ivoire Olympic were not far from the second place and had some chances to get to the play-offs. In Group B, Gicumbi finished on top after the first half of the season, 2 points ahead of Sunrise and AS Muhanga, while newly-promoted Sina Gerard were also close to the top of the table. These four teams were far above all the others in the table and would fight for the two places leading to the play-offs.

In the second half of the season, Etoile de l’Est managed to overtake La Jeunesse on top of Group A, finishing the regular season unbeaten. However, both teams qualified for the play-offs, despite a strong come-back of Unity FC¸which had a winning streak of six consecutive matches, but only finished third, way ahead of Esperance, Intare and Ivoire Olympic. In Group B, Gicumbi maintained their leadership, winning the last seven matches of the regular season. AS Muhanga came second, five points ahead of Sunrise FC, third. The other teams classified well behind. Gicumbi and AS Muhanga qualified for the play-offs.

In the play-offs, matches were very balanced at the beginning, with the two group runners-up, La Jeunesse and AS Muhanga finishing on top after the first half of the play-off, but only slightly above Gicumbi FC, which registered only draws. In the second half of the play-off, Gicumbi FC won all their matches and finished first, while AS Muhanga won the decisive last two matches against Etoile de l’Est and La Jeunesse, finishing second and obtaining the second spot to the next year National League. Therefore, the top two teams of Group B were the same as the top two teams in the play-offs. Etoile de l’Est, after an excellent regular season, where they finished unbeaten, had a poor play-off, losing both at home and away to AS Muhanga, while La Jeunesse, despite leading the play-offs after the first three rounds, finished last as they lost all the matches in the last three rounds.

The teams classified 13th (last) in each group might have been involved in a play-out championship, to avoid relegation, and they might be relegated to the 2025-2026 Third Division. However, in recent years, there were no teams relegated to the Third Division, mainly because some teams withdrew from the competition. After the first half of the season, in Group A, Impeesa was classified last, obtaining just one point. Akagera, Aspor, and Nyagatare were way in front of Impeesa. Impeesa had a better second half of the season, but remained last in Group A, only a few points behind Akagera. In Group B, the situation was more balanced. After the first half of the season, Miroplast were last, but only a little behind Motar FC, Interforce or United Stars. However, Miroplast had a very good second half of the season, and managed to get out from the bottom of the table, which was eventually occupied by United Stars, only three points behind Motar FC. No relegation play-out was eventually played.

 

Team changes from the 2023-2024

 

To the Second Division

 

Relegated from the National League

 

Sunrise FC

Etoile de l’Est

 

Promoted from the Third Division or otherwise accepted to the Second Division

 

Alpha FC

Motar FC

Sina Gerard SC

 

From the Second Division

 

Promoted to the National League

 

Rutsiro FC

Vision FC

 

Relegated

 

None

 

Withdrawn

 

Espoir FC

Gasabo United

Sorwathe FC

Spring Hope Academy

The Winners

 

Teams

 

Group A

 

Team

Home town

Stadium

2023-2024

Etoile de l’Est

Kibungo

Ngoma

16th in the National League (relegated)

Intare FC

Shyorongi

Shyorongi

2nd in Group A (third in play-off)

Addax SC

Rugende

Mumena

3rd in Group A

La Jeunesse FC

Nyamirambo

Mumena

4th in Group A

Esperance FC

Kigali

Tapis Rouge

7th in Group B

Akagera FC

Rwinkwavu

Rwinkwavu

9th in Group B

City Boys FC

Kigali

Tapis Rouge

10th in Group A

Ivoire Olympic

Kigali

Ruyenzi

11th in Group B

Aspor FC

Kigali

EACC Masaka

12th in Group A

Nyagatare FC

Nyagatare

Kiramuruzi

12th in Group B

Impeesa FC

Kigali

Camp Kigali

13th in Group B

Unity FC

Kigali

Bugesera

14th in Group A

Alpha FC

Kigali

Mumena

Promoted from the Third Division or otherwise accepted

 

Group B

 

Team

Home town

Stadium

2023-2024

Sunrise FC

Rwamagana

Nyagatare

15th in the Premier League (relegated)

AS Muhanga

Muhanga

Muhanga

2nd in Group B (fourth in play-off)

Interforce FC

Nyamata

Bugesera

4th in Group B

Nyanza FC

Nyanza

Nyanza

5th in Group A

Miroplast FC

Kigali

Mironko

5th in Group B

Tsinda Batsinde

Gasiza

Gasiza

7th in Group A

Vision Jeunesse Nouvelle FC

Gisenyi

Stade Umuganda

8th in Group A

Gicumbi FC

Byumba

Tapis Rouge

8th in Group B

Kamonyi FC

Kamonyi

Ruyenzi

9th in Group A

United Stars FC

Ruhango

Kabagari

10th in Group B

UR FC

Huye

Mironko

11th in Group A

Sina Gerard FC

Nyirangarama

Nyirangarama

Promoted from the Third Division or otherwise accepted

Motar FC

Kigali

Tapis Rouge

Promoted from the Third Division or otherwise accepted

 

Geographical distribution of the teams

 

Almost half of the teams (11 out of 26) are from the capital city of Kigali or the province of Kigali. They are mostly distributed in Group A (9 out of 11). The 5 teams of the Southern Province and the 2 teams of the Western Province are exclusively distributed in Group B. Teams from the Eastern Province are distributed in both groups, most likely because the two teams relegated from the National League had to be placed in two different groups, and both relegated teams were from the Eastern Province; therefore, one of them (Etoile de l’Est) is in Group A with two other teams of the Eastern Province, while the other one (Sunrise FC) is in Group B with one other team from the Eastern Province. The three teams of the Northern Province are also to be found in both groups, but two of them are in Group B and only one (Intare FC, actually on the outskirts of Kigali) is in Group A.

 

Group A

 

Province

Number

Name of the teams

Kigali

9

Addax SC, La Jeunesse FC, Esperance FC, City Boys FC, Ivoire Olympic, Aspor FC, Impeesa FC, Unity FC, Alpha FC

Eastern

3

Etoile de l’Est, Akagera FC, Nyagatare FC

Northern

1

Intare FC

 

Group B

 

Province

Number

Name of the teams

Southern

5

AS Muhanga, Nyanza FC, Kamonyi FC, United Stars FC, UR Huye FC

Kigali

2

Miroplast FC, Motar FC

Eastern

2

Sunrise FC, Interforce FC

Northern

2

Gicumbi FC, Sina Gerard FC

Western

2

Tsinda Batsinde, Vision Jeunesse Nouvelle

 

Group A

 

Round 1 (21-22 September 2024)

 

Nyagatare – Aspor FC 1-2

La Jeunesse – Akagera 4-1

Intare – Addax 0-0

Impeesa – Unity FC 0-2 – played on 30 October 2024

Ivoire Olympic – Esperance 1-1

Alpha FC – Etoile de l’Est 1-8

City Boys bye

 

Round 2 (28-29 September 2024)

 

Akagera – Nyagatare 1-2

Unity FC – City Boys 0-0 – played on 6 November 2024

Etoile de l’Est – La Jeunesse 2-2

Aspor FC – Ivoire Olympic 0-3

Esperance – Intare 2-2

Addax – Impeesa 2-1

Alpha FC bye

 

Round 3 (5-6 October 2024)

 

Unity FC – Addax 0-0

Ivoire Olympic – Akagera 3-0

Nyagatare – Etoile de l’Est 1-1

Impeesa – Esperance 0-4

Intare – Aspor FC 3-3

City Boys – Alpha FC 0-1

La Jeunesse bye

 

Round 4 (12-13 October 2024)

 

Akagera – Intare 1-1

Alpha FC – La Jeunesse 0-1

Etoile de l’Est – Ivoire Olympic 4-0

Aspor FC – Impeesa 2-1

Esperance – Unity FC 1-3

Addax – City Boys 2-1

Nyagatare bye

 

Round 5 (19-20 October 2024)

 

Nyagatare – Alpha FC 1-0

Impeesa – Akagera 2-2

Addax – Esperance 0-1

Unity FC – Aspor FC 1-0

Intare – Etoile de l’Est 0-3

City Boys – La Jeunesse 0-1

Ivoire Olympic bye

 

Round 6 (26-27 October 2024)

 

La Jeunesse – Nyagatare 4-2

Akagera – Unity FC 0-2

Alpha FC – Ivoire Olympic 2-3

Etoile de l’Est – Impeesa 5-2

Aspor FC – Addax 0-3 (awarded)

Esperance – City Boys 3-0

Intare bye

 

Round 7 (2-3 November 2024)

 

City Boys – Nyagatare 4-0

Addax – Akagera 5-0

Unity FC – Etoile de l’Est 0-0

Intare – Alpha FC 4-1

Ivoire Olympic – La Jeunesse 1-3

Esperance – Aspor FC 2-1

Impeesa bye

 

Round 8 (9-10 November 2024)

 

Nyagatare – Ivoire Olympic 0-3 (awarded)

Akagera – Esperance 0-2

La Jeunesse – Intare 4-2

Alpha FC – Impeesa 2-1

Etoile de l’Est – Addax 1-0

Aspor FC – City Boys 0-1

Unity FC bye

 

Round 9 (16-17 November 2024)

 

Aspor FC – Akagera 1-1

Esperance – Etoile de l’Est 0-0

Unity FC – Alpha FC 4-0

Impeesa – La Jeunesse 0-5

Intare – Nyagatare 7-0

City Boys – Ivoire Olympic 0-2

Addax bye

 

Round 10 (22-24 November 2024)

 

Etoile de l’Est – Aspor FC 2-1

La Jeunesse – Unity FC 2-1

Alpha FC – Addax 0-3

Ivoire Olympic – Intare 1-1

Nyagatare – Impeesa 3-0

Akagera – City Boys 1-0

Esperance bye

 

Round 11 (30 November – 1 December 2024)

 

City Boys – Intare 0-1

Esperance – Alpha FC 1-1

Addax – La Jeunesse 0-1

Impeesa – Ivoire Olympic 0-3

Akagera – Etoile de l’Est 0-3 (awarded)

Unity FC – Nyagatare 2-1

Aspor FC bye

 

Round 12 (7-8 December 2024)

 

Ivoire Olympic – Unity FC 2-1

Intare – Impeesa 7-1

La Jeunesse – Esperance 0-2

Alpha FC – Aspor FC 1-0

Etoile de l’Est – City Boys 1-1

Nyagatare – Addax 1-2

Akagera bye

 

Round 13 (14-15 December 2024)

 

Aspor FC – La Jeunesse 1-2

Addax – Ivoire Olympic 0-0

Unity FC – Intare 1-2

City Boys – Impeesa 2-1

Akagera – Alpha FC 0-0

Esperance – Nyagatare 6-0

Etoile de l’Est bye

 

Table at half-season

 

1

La Jeunesse

12

10

1

1

29-12

31

Promotion play-offs

2

Etoile de l’Est

12

7

5

0

30-8

26

Promotion play-offs

3

Esperance

12

7

4

1

25-8

25

 

4

Ivoire Olympic

12

7

3

2

22-12

24

 

5

Addax SC

12

6

3

3

17-6

21

 

6

Unity FC

12

6

3

3

17-8

21

 

7

Intare FC

12

5

5

2

30-17

20

 

8

City Boys FC

12

3

2

7

9-13

11

 

9

Alpha FC

12

3

2

7

9-26

11

 

10

Nyagatare FC

12

3

1

8

12-32

10

 

11

Aspor FC

12

2

2

8

11-21

8

 

12

Akagera FC

12

1

4

7

7-25

7

 

13

Impeesa FC

12

0

1

11

9-39

1

Relegation play-out

 

Round 14 (11-12 January 2025)

 

Impeesa – City Boys 1-2

La Jeunesse – Aspor FC 0-1

Nyagatare – Esperance 0-2

Alpha FC – Akagera 4-2

Ivoire Olympic – Addax 1-1

Intare – Unity FC 4-2

Etoile de l’Est bye

 

Round 15 (18-19 January 2025)

 

Unity FC – Ivoire Olympic 2-1

Impeesa – Intare 1-1

Esperance – La Jeunesse 2-3

Aspor FC – Alpha FC 2-2

City Boys – Etoile de l’Est 0-2

Addax – Nyagatare 5-1

Akagera bye

 

Round 16 (25-26 January 2025)

 

Intare – City Boys 0-1

Alpha FC – Esperance 1-3

La Jeunesse – Addax 2-1

Ivoire Olympic – Impeesa 2-0

Etoile de l’Est – Akagera 6-0

Nyagatare – Unity FC 0-1

Aspor FC bye

 

Round 17 (1-2 February 2025)

 

Aspor FC – Etoile de l’Est 0-1

Unity FC – La Jeunesse 1-0

Addax – Alpha FC 1-0

Intare – Ivoire Olympic 2-2

Impeesa – Nyagatare 2-1

City Boys – Akagera 3-0

Esperance bye

 

Round 18 (8-9 February 2025)

 

Akagera – Aspor FC 1-2

Etoile de l’Est – Esperance 3-1

Alpha FC – Unity FC 0-1

La Jeunesse – Impeesa 3-1

Nyagatare – Intare 0-0

Ivoire Olympic – City Boys 3-1

Addax bye

 

Round 19 (15-16 February 2025)

 

Ivoire Olympic – Nyagatare 3-0

Esperance – Akagera 8-2

Intare – La Jeunesse 2-0

Impeesa – Alpha FC 1-2

Addax – Etoile de l’Est 1-5

City Boys – Aspor FC 3-0

Unity FC bye

 

Round 20 (22-23 February 2025)

 

Nyagatare – City Boys 1-0

Akagera – Addax 0-1

Etoile de l’Est – Unity FC 1-0

Alpha FC – Intare 3-5

La Jeunesse – Ivoire Olympic 0-0

Aspor FC – Esperance 0-2

Impeesa bye

 

Round 21 (1-2 March 2025)

 

Nyagatare – La Jeunesse 0-1

Unity FC – Akagera 3-0

Ivoire Olympic – Alpha FC 5-0

Impeesa – Etoile de l’Est 1-4

Addax – Aspor FC 2-1

City Boys – Esperance 2-1

Intare bye

 

Round 22 (8-9 March 2025)

 

Alpha FC – Nyagatare 2-2

Akagera – Impeesa 1-2

Esperance – Addax 2-1

Aspor FC – Unity FC 1-2

Etoile de l’Est – Intare 2-2

La Jeunesse – City Boys 4-0

Ivoire Olympic bye

 

Round 23 (15-16 March 2025)

 

Intare – Akagera 2-1

La Jeunesse – Alpha FC 2-0

Ivoire Olympic – Etoile de l’Est 0-1

Impeesa – Aspor FC 1-1

Unity FC – Esperance 1-0

City Boys – Addax 0-1

Nyagatare bye

 

Round 24 (22-23 March 2025)

 

Addax – Unity FC 1-2

Akagera – Ivoire Olympic 3-1

Etoile de l’Est – Nyagatare 6-0

Esperance – Impeesa 4-0

Aspor FC – Intare 0-0

Alpha FC – City Boys 2-4

La Jeunesse bye

 

Round 25 (29-30 March 2025)

 

Nyagatare – Akagera 0-2

City Boys – Unity FC 1-4

La Jeunesse – Etoile de l’Est 1-1

Ivoire Olympic – Aspor FC 5-2

Intare – Esperance 2-1

Impeesa – Addax 1-4

Alpha FC bye

 

Round 26 (5-6 April 2025)

 

Aspor FC – Nyagatare 2-1

Addax – Intare 2-3

Unity FC – Impeesa 3-0

Esperance – Ivoire Olympic 0-0

Etoile de l’Est – Alpha FC 7-1

Akagera – La Jeunesse 1-3 – played on 14 April 2025

City Boys bye

 

                                                   Final table

 

1

Etoile de l’Est

24

17

7

0

69-15

58

Promotion play-offs

2

La Jeunesse

24

17

3

4

48-22

54

Promotion play-offs

3

Unity FC

24

16

3

5

39-17

51

 

4

Esperance

24

13

5

6

51-23

44

 

5

Intare FC

24

11

10

3

53-32

43

 

6

Ivoire Olympic

24

12

7

5

45-24

43

 

7

Addax SC

24

12

4

8

38-24

40

 

8

City Boys FC

24

9

2

13

26-32

29

 

9

Aspor FC

24

5

5

14

23-41

20

 

10

Alpha FC

24

5

4

15

26-61

19

 

11

Nyagatare FC

24

4

3

17

18-58

15

 

12

Akagera FC

24

3

4

17

20-60

13

 

13

Impeesa FC

24

2

3

19

20-67

9

Relegation play-out

 

 

Group B

 

Round 1 (21-22 September 2024)

 

United Stars – Miroplast 0-0

Kamonyi – Nyanza 2-1

Tsinda Batsinde – Gicumbi 1-0

Vision JN – AS Muhanga 0-2

Interforce – Sunrise 0-0

Sina Gerard – UR Huye 0-0

Motar FC bye

 

Round 2 (28-29 September 2024)

 

Gicumbi – United Stars 4-1

UR Huye – Interforce 1-1

Sunrise – Vision JN 4-2

AS Muhanga – Tsinda Batsinde 2-0

Miroplast – Kamonyi 2-0

Nyanza – Motar FC 2-1

Sina Gerard bye

 

Round 3 (5-6 October 2024)

 

United Stars – AS Muhanga 0-0

Kamonyi – Gicumbi 0-0

Nyanza – Miroplast 0-0

Tsinda Batsinde – Sunrise 0-0

Vision JN – UR Huye 2-0

Motar FC – Sina Gerard 0-1

Interforce bye

 

Round 4 (12-13 October 2024)

 

Sunrise – United Stars 6-1

UR Huye – Tsinda Batsinde 1-0

Sina Gerard – Interforce 1-1

AS Muhanga – Kamonyi 2-0

Gicumbi – Nyanza 2-1

Miroplast – Motar FC 1-2

Vision JN bye

 

Round 5 (19-20 October 2024)

 

United Stars – UR Huye 1-2

Nyanza – AS Muhanga 0-1

Kamonyi – Sunrise 0-2

Miroplast – Gicumbi 0-3

Vision JN – Sina Gerard 0-2

Motar FC – Interforce 3-3

Tsinda Batsinde bye

 

Round 6 (26-27 October 2024)

 

Sina Gerard – Tsinda Batsinde 0-0

Interforce – Vision JN 0-2

UR Huye – Kamonyi 2-1

Sunrise – Nyanza 2-0

AS Muhanga – Miroplast 1-0

Gicumbi – Motar FC 1-1

United Stars bye

 

Round 7 (2-3 November 2024)

 

Gicumbi – AS Muhanga 1-0

United Stars – Sina Gerard 1-1

Miroplast – Sunrise 0-1

Nyanza – UR Huye 1-0

Tsinda Batsinde – Interforce 1-0

Motar FC – Vision JN 2-0

Kamonyi bye

 

Round 8 (9-10 November 2024)

 

UR Huye – Miroplast 0-1

Interforce – United Stars 1-1

Vision JN – Tsinda Batsinde 3-3

Sina Gerard – Kamonyi 2-0

Sunrise – Gicumbi 0-1

AS Muhanga – Motar FC 4-1

Nyanza bye

 

Round 9 (16-17 November 2024)

 

Motar FC – Tsinda Batsinde 1-1

United Stars – Vision JN 3-0 (awarded)

Gicumbi – UR Huye 1-1

Nyanza – Sina Gerard 1-2

Kamonyi – Interforce 2-0

AS Muhanga – Sunrise 0-0

Miroplast bye

 

Round 10 (23-24 November 2024)

 

Tsinda Batsinde – United Stars 1-3

Interforce – Nyanza 2-1

Vision JN – Kamonyi 1-1

Sina Gerard – Miroplast 2-0

UR Huye – AS Muhanga 1-1

Sunrise – Motar FC 1-0

Gicumbi bye

 

Round 11 (30 November – 1 December 2024)

 

Gicumbi – Sina Gerard 2-0

Sunrise – UR Huye 2-0

Miroplast – Interforce 0-1

Nyanza – Vision JN 0-1

Kamonyi – Tsinda Batsinde 1-0

Motar FC – United Stars 0-2

AS Muhanga bye

 

Round 12 (7-8 December 2024)

 

Tsinda Batsinde – Nyanza 2-3

UR Huye – Motar FC 1-0

Sina Gerard – AS Muhanga 0-0

United Stars – Kamonyi 0-1

Interforce – Gicumbi 0-1

Vision JN – Miroplast 1-0

Sunrise bye

 

Round 13 (14-15 December 2024)

 

Miroplast – Tsinda Batsinde 0-3

AS Muhanga – Interforce 2-0

Gicumbi – Vision JN 2-0

Nyanza – United Stars 2-1

Motar FC – Kamonyi 1-1

Sunrise – Sina Gerard 2-2

UR Huye bye

 

Table at half-season

 

1

Gicumbi FC

12

8

3

1

18-5

27

Promotion play-offs

2

Sunrise FC

12

7

4

1

20-6

25

Promotion play-offs

3

AS Muhanga

12

7

4

1

15-3

25

 

4

Sina Gerard FC

12

5

6

1

13-7

21

 

5

UR Huye FC

12

4

4

4

9-11

16

 

6

Kamonyi FC

12

4

3

5

9-13

15

 

7

Vision JN

12

4

2

6

12-19

14

 

8

Tsinda Batsinde

12

3

4

5

12-14

13

 

9

United Stars

12

3

4

5

14-18

13

 

10

Nyanza FC

12

4

1

7

12-16

13

 

11

Interforce FC

12

2

5

5

9-15

11

 

12

Motar FC

12

2

4

6

12-18

10

 

13

Miroplast FC

12

2

2

8

4-14

8

Relegation play-out

 

Round 14 (11-12 January 2025)

 

Tsinda Batsinde – Miroplast 3-1

Interforce – AS Muhanga 0-2

Vision JN – Gicumbi 1-1

United Stars – Nyanza 1-3

Kamonyi – Motar FC 0-1

Sina Gerard – Sunrise 2-0

UR Huye bye

 

Round 15 (18-19 January 2025)

 

Nyanza – Tsinda Batsinde 3-2

Motar FC – UR Huye 2-0

AS Muhanga – Sina Gerard 3-0

Kamonyi – United Stars 3-0

Gicumbi – Interforce 1-2

Miroplast – Vision JN 1-1

Sunrise bye

 

Round 16 (25-26 January 2025)

 

Sina Gerard – Gicumbi 0-1

UR Huye – Sunrise 2-2

Interforce – Miroplast 2-0

Vision JN – Nyanza 0-1

Tsinda Batsinde – Kamonyi 1-1

United Stars – Motar FC 1-0

AS Muhanga bye

 

Round 17 (1-2 February 2025)

 

United Stars – Tsinda Batsinde 0-0

Nyanza – Interforce 3-2

Miroplast – Sina Gerard 2-1

AS Muhanga – UR Huye 3-1

Motar FC – Sunrise 2-1

Kamonyi – Vision JN 3-0 – played on 25 February 2025

Gicumbi bye

 

Round 18 (8-9 February 2025)

 

Tsinda Batsinde – Motar FC 1-0

Vision JN – United Stars 4-1

UR Huye – Gicumbi 0-1

Sina Gerard – Nyanza 1-0

Interforce – Kamonyi 3-0

Sunrise – AS Muhanga 1-1

Miroplast bye

 

Round 19 (14-17 February 2025)

 

Motar FC – AS Muhanga 0-0

Miroplast – UR Huye 2-1

United Stars – Interforce 1-1

Tsinda Batsinde – Vision JN 0-0

Gicumbi – Sunrise 0-1

Kamonyi – Sina Gerard 2-1

Nyanza bye

 

Round 20 (22-23 February 2025)

 

AS Muhanga – Gicumbi 0-1

Sina Gerard – United Stars 2-2

Sunrise – Miroplast 2-0

UR Huye – Nyanza 3-2

Interforce – Tsinda Batsinde 3-1

Vision JN – Motar FC 2-1

Kamonyi bye

 

Round 21 (1-2 March 2025)

 

Tsinda Batsinde – Sina Gerard 2-1

Vision JN – Interforce 2-2

Kamonyi – UR Huye 0-2

Nyanza – Sunrise 1-0

Miroplast – AS Muhanga 1-3

Motar FC – Gicumbi 0-2

United Stars bye

 

Round 22 (8-9 March 2025)

 

UR Huye – United Stars 2-0

AS Muhanga – Nyanza 2-0

Sunrise – Kamonyi 4-0

Gicumbi – Miroplast 1-0

Sina Gerard – Vision JN 2-3

Interforce – Motar FC 1-1

Tsinda Batsinde bye

 

Round 23 (15-16 March 2025)

 

United Stars – Sunrise 1-1

Tsinda Batsinde – UR Huye 0-1

Interforce – Sina Gerard 0-0

Kamonyi – AS Muhanga 1-1

Nyanza – Gicumbi 1-2

Motar FC – Miroplast 1-2

Vision JN bye

 

Round 24 (22-23 March 2025)

 

AS Muhanga – United Stars 3-0

Gicumbi – Kamonyi 1-0

Miroplast – Nyanza 2-1

Sunrise – Tsinda Batsinde 3-0 (awarded)

UR Huye – Vision JN 2-1

Sina Gerard – Motar FC 2-1

Interforce bye

 

Round 25 (29-30 March 2025)

 

United Stars – Gicumbi 0-2

Interforce – UR Huye 0-1

Vision JN – Sunrise 1-1

Tsinda Batsinde – AS Muhanga 0-1

Kamonyi – Miroplast 1-2

Motar FC – Nyanza 2-1

Sina Gerard bye

 

Round 26 (5-6 April 2025)

 

Miroplast – United Stars 2-2

Nyanza – Kamonyi 1-0

Gicumbi – Tsinda Batsinde 3-0 (awarded)

AS Muhanga – Vision JN 0-1

Sunrise – Interforce 4-1

UR Huye – Sina Gerard 1-2

Motar FC bye

 

                                                 Final table

 

1

Gicumbi FC

24

17

4

3

34-10

55

Promotion play-offs

2

AS Muhanga

24

14

7

3

34-9

49

Promotion play-offs

3

Sunrise FC

24

12

8

4

40-17

44

 

4

Sina Gerard FC

24

9

8

7

27-24

35

 

5

UR Huye FC

24

10

5

9

25-26

35

 

6

Nyanza FC

24

10

1

13

29-33

31

 

7

Vision JN

24

8

7

9

28-34

31

 

8

Interforce FC

24

6

9

9

26-31

27

 

9

Kamonyi FC

24

7

5

12

20-30

26

 

10

Tsinda Batsinde

24

6

7

11

22-31

25

 

11

Miroplast FC

24

7

4

13

19-33

25

 

12

Motar FC

24

6

6

12

23-31

24

 

13

United Stars

24

4

9

11

23-41

21

Relegation play-out

 

Promotion play-off

 

Qualified teams

 

Team

Manner of qualification

Etoile de l’Est

Group A winners

Gicumbi FC

Group B winners

La Jeunesse

Group A runners-up

AS Muhanga

Group B runners-up

 

Round 1 (16-17 April 2025)

 

AS Muhanga – Gicumbi 1-1

La Jeunesse – Etoile de l’Est 1-1

 

Round 2 (20 April 2025)

 

Gicumbi – La Jeunesse 0-0

Etoile de l’Est – AS Muhanga 1-2

 

Round 3 (23 April 2025)

 

La Jeunesse – AS Muhanga 3-1

Gicumbi – Etoile de l’Est 0-0

 

Table after half-play-off

 

1

La Jeunesse

3

1

2

0

4-2

5

Promotion

2

AS Muhanga

3

1

1

1

4-5

4

Promotion

3

Gicumbi FC

3

0

3

0

1-1

3

 

4

Etoile de l’Est

3

0

2

1

2-3

2

 

 

Round 4 (27 April 2025)

 

Etoile de l’Est – La Jeunesse 2-0

Gicumbi – AS Muhanga 1-0

 

Round 5 (30 April 2025)

 

La Jeunesse – Gicumbi 0-2

AS Muhanga – Etoile de l’Est 1-0

 

Round 6 (7 May 2025)

 

Muhanga – La Jeunesse 2-1

Etoile de l’Est – Gicumbi 0-2

 

Final-play-off table

 

1

Gicumbi FC

6

3

3

0

6-1

12

Promoted

2

AS Muhanga

6

3

1

2

7-7

10

Promoted

3

Etoile de l’Est

6

1

2

3

4-6

5

 

4

La Jeunesse

6

1

2

3

5-8

5

 

 

No relegation play-out was eventually played.

 

Tuesday, 31 December 2024

The best of 2024

The year 2024 was not one of the best for the nine teams we are writing about here: Bourj FC, Fayoum SC, Cusco FC, 1. FK Svidník, FK Tryavna 1922, Total Soccer, Maaraba SC, Kamonyi FC, and Maardu Linnameeskond II. The situation was perhaps better, at least in a part of the year, for Bourj FC, Fayoum SC, and Cusco FC. These teams are among the best performers in 2024. Kamonyi FC had a rather average year. The year is one to be forgotten for 1. FK Svidník, FK Tryavna 1922, and Total Soccer. Just like in the previous years, Maaraba SC and Maardu Linnameeskond II did not compete in this year either.

Bourj FC had a good first part of the year and finished in fourth place in the Lebanese Premier League, one of their best ever. Nevertheless, even since the start of 2024, there were rumours that the owner Fadi Nasser will leave Bourj FC, which eventually happened at the end of the 2023-2024. The club survived, with heavy losses, given that many players went away. The 2024-2025 season started in September, but only one round was played, when the season had to be suspended due to Israeli attacks and bombing. Training resumed in December, but it is yet to be confirmed if or when the Lebanese Premier League will resume.

Fayoum SC had a fairly good first part of the year, finishing in second place in Group B of the Egyptian Second Division B. However, this was not enough for promotion to the Second Division A. In the new 2024-2025 season, they started poorly and are among the bottom-classified teams, fighting for survival, instead of promotion.

Cusco FC had their best season in years, finishing in fifth place in the Peruvian Liga 1 and qualifying for the 2025 Copa Sudamericana. Manager Miguel Rondelli succeeded to create a good team, and will continue his work in 2025, as well.

Kamonyi FC had an average performance, finishing in ninth place in Group A of the 2023-2024 Rwandan Second Division. The start of the 2024-2025 season was not great either, as they are in the second half of the table at this moment.

Moving to the big disappointments of 2024, one has to point out that 1. FK Svidník were relegated at the end of the 2023-2024 season of the Slovak Third Division, East Group, as they finished last. Instead of fighting to promote back, they are involved again in the struggle to avoid relagation, this time from the Slovak Fourth League - East Group. Something has to be done quickly to stop the decline.

Even worse, FK Tryavna 1922 stopped competing altogether at senior level in 2024. They finished the 2023-2024 season of the regional Gabrovo League in second place, short of winning (again) the league, but then they did not enrol for the 2024-2025 season, a very heavy blow for football in Tryavna. The club still maintains some of its junior level teams, but the senior team should be back in business as soon as possible.

Total Soccer was another big disappointment in 2024. After two exceptional years, in which the team achieved everything that was possible at amateur level in Colombia, becoming twice champions of the Primera C, in 2024 they were eliminated from Primera C even from the first (group) stage, and they classified second to last in the Antioquia League top tier, Primera A, which will probably involve a relegation to Antioquia Primera B in 2025.

Maaraba SC and Maardu Linnameeskond II saw no action in 2024.

Best team

Cusco FC


Best performance

Alianza Lima - Cusco FC 1-2 (last round of the Peruvian First League, 3 November 2024)

Best manager

Miguel Rondelli (Cusco FC)

Best player

Ivan Colman (Cusco FC)

A Happy New Year to everyone!