Le Messager Ngozi FC

Le Messager Ngozi
Full nameLe Messager Ngozi Football Club
Founded2005; 19 years ago (2005)
GroundStade Urukundo
Ngozi, Burundi
Capacity5,000[citation needed]
ChairmanAthanase Hatungimana
ManagerJimmy Ndayizeye
LeagueLigue A
2023–24Ligue A, 6th of 16
Websitehttp://www.lemessagerfc.org

Le Messager Ngozi Football Club, commonly referred to as Le Messager FC is a Burundian professional football club based in Ngozi, Ngozi Province of Burundi, that plays in Ligue A, the top division of Burundi football.

Founded in 2005, Le Messager have won three league titles and one Burundian Cup. The club plays its home matches at 5,000 capacity Stade Urukundo.

History

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The club was founded in 2005, when the late president Pierre Nkurunziza decided to set up “Le Messager” football academies.[1] Le Messager Ngozi had won promotion from the second division at the end of the 2011–12 season finished their first season in the top-flight of Burundi football, 2012–13, on the 5th place.[2]

In the 2013–14 season, Le Messager finished 4th in the league and reached the final of the Coupe du Président de la République losing 1–1 (3–4 on penalty shootout) to LLB Académic, qualifying for CAF Confederation Cup[3]

The following season saw again a fourth-place finish, as well as reaching the quarter-finals of the Coupe du Président de la République, losing 0–3 in front of Athlético Olympique.[4] Le Messager made their continental debut against Benfica de Luanda in the preliminary round of the 2015 CAF Confederation Cup, losing 0–3 on aggregate.

In 2016, the club won its first trophy, the Coupe du Président de la République, beating Vital'O 1–1 (4–3 on penalty shootout) in the final[5] and, also came out as runners-up in the 2015–16 Ligue A season.

In the following season, Le Messager finished sixth in Ligue A and returned to the Coupe du Président de la République final where they were defeated 1–2 by Olympic Star de Muyinga. In 2017 CAF Confederation Cup preliminary round, beat the Zanzibarian club KVZ 4–2 on aggregate,[6] advancing to the first round where they were eliminated by Zesco United (0–2 away and 2–2 home).[7]

Squad

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As of 29 October 2022[8][9]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
22 GK Burundi BDI Onesime Rukundo
17 DF Burundi BDI Cedric Danny Urasenga
3 DF Burundi BDI Radjabu Mvuyekure
5 DF Burundi BDI Adolphe Hakizimana
8 DF Burundi BDI Ibrahim Karikera
10 DF Burundi BDI Ismail Nzigiyimana
11 MF Burundi BDI Ali Intelligent Fataki
13 MF Burundi BDI Raoul Vyamungu
20 FW Burundi BDI Joseph Kashindi
25 MF Burundi BDI Vincent Barungitse
No. Pos. Nation Player
1 FW Burundi BDI Ally Iradukunda
2 GK Burundi BDI Landry Iradukunda
6 FW Burundi BDI Karim Bizoza
9 MF Burundi BDI Arthur Nibikora
14 MF Burundi BDI Ladislas Mpisemwoneza
16 MF Burundi BDI Djuma Ndikumana
18 FW Burundi BDI Alexis Hakizimana
27 FW Burundi BDI Yassin Dushime
24 DF Burundi BDI Akbar Muderi
21 DF Burundi BDI Hamza Nyanzira

Honours

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Performance in CAF competitions

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Season Competition Round Club Home Away Aggregate
2015 CAF Confederation Cup Preliminary round Angola Benfica de Luanda 0–1 0–2 0–3
2017 CAF Confederation Cup Preliminary round Zanzibar KVZ 3–0 1–2 4–2
First round Zambia ZESCO United 2–2 0–2 2–4
2018–19 CAF Champions League Preliminary round Egypt Ismaily 0–1 1–2 1–3
2020–21 CAF Champions League Preliminary round Egypt Young Buffaloes 1–1 0–0 1–1 (a)

League history

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References

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  1. ^ "La success-story de Messager Ngozi FC : tout sauf un hasard…" [The success story of Messager Ngozi FC: anything but coincidence…]. yaga-burundi.com. Archived from the original on 25 December 2022. Retrieved 16 January 2022.(in French)
  2. ^ "Burundi 2012/13". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 4 December 2022. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  3. ^ "Burundi 2013/14". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 22 December 2022. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  4. ^ "Coupe du Président de la République 2015". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 22 December 2022. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  5. ^ "Messenger Ngozi FC atoned for losing the league to Vital'O by beating them in the 2016 President Cup final on Saturday". soka25east.com. Archived from the original on 25 December 2022. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  6. ^ "Burundi / CAF 2017 : Messager Ngozi 3 – 0 KVZ Zanzibar". burundi-agnews.org. Archived from the original on 25 December 2022. Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  7. ^ "Zesco eliminate determined Messager". cafonline.com. Archived from the original on 25 December 2022. Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  8. ^ "Squad: First team". Le Messager Ngozi. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
  9. ^ Players, Le Messager Ngozi (22 October 2022). "Players". Owsports. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
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