When the curtain draws on Rwanda’s National Soccer League this week, striker Danny Usengimana will have every reason to celebrate.
The 21-year-old is on a goal galore this season and in the best form of his life. Usengimana has accounted for eighteen (18) of the sixty-one (61) goals for second-placed Police Kibungo who have twenty-nine games with Thursday’s encounter against relegation-threatened Marines, making it the club’s 30th outing of the season.
The Stade Kicukiro outfit has had a stupendous run after a 5th-placed finish last term, making the race for the title a tough fight before Rayon Sports closed in on them to eventually open up a 12-point gap at the top.
Police’s rise is one of the surprises of the season and comes with massive input from the top striker who, it goes without saying, has been prolific.
Strikers over the years have found it herculean to reach double figures in the Rwandan Soccer League but not with Usengimana.
Comparing him to goal kingpin Cristiano Ronaldo will border sheer exaggeration but if ever there was to be one, he will certainly be the Rwandese version of the Portuguese star.
He has notched up goals from virtually all angles. With a knack for flying header goals, the Police No. 10 and captain can also nestle the back of the net from a distance. His goal against Etincelles is glaring testament.
Dany sped to the wings to cut in from the left before letting fly an out-side-the box screamer that found roof of the net, leaving Etincelles’ goalkeeper on his backside. With the pace of an athlete and the silky skills of a rampaging dribbler, his confidence has been an added plus.
Usengimana surely doesn’t carry the air of a man out of his comfort zone. Soft-spoken but assertive on the ball, Police Kibungo coaches have a huge task on their hands to fight off suitors from coming any close to their prized asset.
Tanzania Premier League side Simba Sports Club have lurked around all season and look willing to push the limit to get the striker despite being sent a-get-off-our-player’s-back message by Police.
Rumours of a deal being sanctioned remains rife with Tanzania believed to be Dany’s likely destination should he ever consider leaving Rwanda’s shores this season.
Internationally, he’s capped five times with The Wasps of Rwanda and wore the country’s iconic number 10 jersey in the CHAN competition. As recently as June 3rd 2017, he was on target for Rwanda in the Genocide Peace friendly against Morocco.
Dany is among a crop of young players hoping to defy the odds and help Amavubi qualify for the Cameroon 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in a qualifier Group H comprising of Ivory Coast, Guinea and The Central African Republic.
Featured Photo: Rwanda-foot.com
