A highly anticipated friendly match between Rayon Sports and Sudanese club Al Merrikh, planned for Sunday, September 7, 2025, at 7:00 PM at Kigali Pele Stadium, has been postponed. Rayon Sports announced the decision through their social media platforms, attributing the postponement to Al Merrikh's request.
Rayon Sports' official statement read: "The international friendly match that was set to be played between Rayon Sports and Al Merrikh SC from Sudan on Sunday, September 7, 2025, at 7:00 PM has been postponed at the request of Al Merrikh SC. More details will be announced soon."
Sources revealed that Al Merrikh’s head coach, Darko Novic, initiated the postponement, stating that the team was not fully prepared to compete at this time.
Darko Novic, who previously managed Rwanda’s APR FC, joined Al Merrikh as their coach only three days ago. He arrived in Rwanda on Friday to help the team prepare for the next competitive season. Given his limited time with the squad, Novic expressed that the team was not adequately ready to face Rayon Sports in a friendly match.
Meanwhile, Rayon Sports has shown strong form in recent games, including their recent friendly match where they secured an impressive 4-1 victory over Uganda’s Vipers SC—showcasing their current momentum going into future matches.
Rayon Sports Official Announcement