Al-Merreikh SC have rediscovered their competitive edge this season, with a series of strong performances and impressive results restoring optimism among supporters after several difficult years for one of Sudan’s biggest football clubs.
The Sudanese side have produced a significant improvement both in results and overall performances during the current campaign, raising hopes that the club is once again capable of competing strongly for major honours.
After enduring what many supporters viewed as an unprecedented decline in recent seasons, Al-Merreikh’s management undertook major changes aimed at rebuilding the team and restoring stability inside the club.
Those decisions now appear to be paying off, with the side enjoying an exceptional campaign built around the impact of several foreign professionals who have become central figures in the team’s revival.
The club’s overseas players have played a decisive role in transforming performances, contributing the majority of Al-Merreikh’s goals across domestic competitions.
Statistics from the current season highlight their importance.
Foreign players scored 33 of the club’s 39 goals in the Rwandan league competition, while also contributing six of the 10 goals scored so far in the Sudanese Elite League.
They have also dominated individual awards during matches in both competitions, underlining their influence on the team’s resurgence.
Among the standout performers has been Fino Hasina, whose performances have made him one of the most popular figures among Al-Merreikh supporters.
The 23-year-old Malagasy forward has emerged as the team’s leading scorer and a key factor behind many of the club’s victories.
Hasina has scored 14 goals across the Rwandan and Sudanese leagues this season and has collected seven “Man of the Match” awards.
His combination of decisive goals and consistent displays has earned widespread praise from fans, particularly during the Elite League campaign.
Alongside him, Guinean player Abubakar Bangoura has also established himself as one of the team’s most influential performers.
Bangoura has impressed supporters with both his creativity and goalscoring ability, contributing eight goals in league competitions while forming an effective partnership with Hasina in attack.
The competition between the two players for the club’s top scorer title has become one of the talking points of Al-Merreikh’s season.
At the defensive end, Senegalese defender Daba Sougba has received widespread recognition for helping restore defensive stability to the side.
Supporters have reportedly created several nicknames for the defender in appreciation of his performances and leadership at the back.
Sougba has not only strengthened the defence but also contributed important goals during the campaign.
With one match remaining in the Rwandan league competition, Al-Merreikh possessed the strongest defensive record among all participating clubs, further highlighting the impact of the Senegalese player.
The defender has also earned several individual awards for his performances throughout the season.
Al-Merreikh are now looking to maintain their momentum during the remainder of the Elite League campaign as they continue battling for the title.
The club’s recent superiority over rivals Al-Hilal Omdurman has further increased confidence among supporters.
Since the outbreak of war in Sudan, the two clubs have faced each other six times, with Al-Merreikh winning three matches, losing two and drawing one.
Attention is already turning towards the upcoming derby meeting between the rivals in the sixth round of the Elite League, a match many observers believe could play a decisive role in determining the destination of the championship title.
For Al-Merreikh supporters, the club’s revival represents more than just improved results.
After several challenging seasons, the performances of Hasina, Bangoura and Sougba have provided renewed belief that the team is capable of returning to the level traditionally expected from one of Sudanese football’s most successful clubs.
