Don Délice Ndikumana
15 remaining weeks of the second phase are expected to be restless. Bumamuru and Vital’O stand neck and neck at the top of the charts. Who will laugh last, and what else could we expect?
Games of the second round of Primus Ligue – the Burundian football championship – started on this 20th January, 2023. One of the most awaited fixtures for the first matchday is Musongati versus Bumamuru showdown which will take place at Urunani Stadium in Buganda, Cibitoke province. Musongati hopes to regain its glory after an abyssal defeat (1-4) in the first leg back in December, 2022.
Quick Throwback
Vital’O and Bumamuru tied closely with 32 points each in the first phase, only separated by a light 9 goals difference in favour of Bumamuru, ranking Vital’O second.
On the queue of the league trails Athletico New Oil Academy from Muyinga which is facing a difficult season despite its heroics last season when it ranked second in the league and played the Burikukiye Cup final even though it lost.
In the previous league 2021-2022, Bumamuru stood out, taking the first position with 10 points away from the 2nd Flambeau du Centre. The latter caught up and outperformed the former in the last League week, snatching the cup from their opponent’s hands.
Coaches Stormed
A raging wave characterized Phase One. Various coaches got laid off while others chose to leave, totaling in nine. Among them is Vivier BAHATI. Hired as Bumamuru head coach at the beginning of the current season he didn’t meet the club staff’s expectations; a failure that got him downgraded to the position of coach assistant. He later opted for stepping out, joining the Makamba-based Elaga Top Junior FC. Joslin Bipfubusa, former coach of their opponent Aigles Noirs the Fighters replaced him.
What Could We Expect?
Taking past experiences into consideration, Burundi Primus League has shown that tables could get flipped in the Phase Two as different teams start the race and matchdays happening sometimes at the same time. Squad management is, for most of the time, seen by the sport analysts as the ultimate key for coaches to win matches and eventually bag trophies.
Who are you backing to win the league this time around?
