Rayon Sports head coach Haringingo Francis Christian has said Iradukunda Elie Tatou was left out of the squad that lost 2-0 to Mozambique’s Black Bulls because of his tactical choices, insisting the player was not injured.
Tatou was not included among the players selected for Saturday’s CAF Confederation Cup second-round first-leg match at Amahoro Stadium on October 17. He watched the game from the stands.
“He is fine and has no injury. However, based on how we had prepared to play, we decided not to use him. It was the coach’s choice, which is why you saw him sitting there,” Haringingo told journalists after the match.
Some supporters linked the decision to concerns about Tatou’s conduct, particularly following Rayon Sports’ first-round match against Cameroon’s Panthère Sportive du Ndé. However, Haringingo maintained that the decision was based on his planned approach to the game.
Others questioned whether the absence of the forward affected Rayon Sports’ attacking options, as midfielder Gloire Tambwe occupied a position where Tatou could have played.
Rayon Sports introduced several changes to its lineup against Black Bulls, including the debut of Sandja Bulaya and Elie Eldinho. Ibrahim Djingarey, who had been recovering from injury, returned as a substitute, while Issa Djiguiba, who missed the first qualifying round, started the match.
Captain Kabange remained sidelined by injury, with Uwumukiza Obed among those named in the starting lineup.
Despite the defeat, Haringingo said his players had created opportunities but failed to convert them into goals. He also argued that Rayon Sports had performed well in the first half before conceding the opening goal.
“We had chances but failed to make the most of them. The first goal they scored brought them back into the game, although we had been the better side in the first half,” he said.
Haringingo remains hopeful that Rayon Sports can overturn the deficit in the return leg, scheduled for October 24 in Mozambique.
“Looking at the team we played, the chances we created and the goals they scored, I believe we are also capable of scoring two goals against them,” he said.
Rayon Sports must win by at least three goals to advance directly to the group stage of the CAF Confederation Cup. A 2-0 victory would take the tie to a penalty shootout, while failure to overturn the deficit would end the club’s campaign for a place in the group stage, which it last reached in 2018.
