PNL: Five talking points from goal galore weekend action
Monday, December 11, 2023
Mukura VS players celebrate a 4-2 victory over Gasogi United on Saturday, December 10. Courtesy

It was goals galore in week 14 of the Primus National League as a total of 25 goals were scored across the league centres.

APR, Police and Mukura Victory Sports were the only clubs who won away from home while five players namely Victor Mbaoma, Erisa Ssekisambu, Samson Babua, Solomon Adeyinka and Elie Kategeya all scored doubles as each of their repective teams emerged victorious.

Times Sport takes a look at five things we learnt from the week 14 games.

Mukura deadly wingers proving vital

Mukura Victory Sports’ forward line has been deadly especially from their wingers.

The Huye-based thrashed Kiyovu 4-1 on December 6 before traveling to Kigali to beat Gasogi United 4-2 on Saturday, December 9.

The impeccable form of the Yellow and Blacks is largely down to their flamboyant wingers where in their last two games, Elie Tatou, Samuel Pimpong and Zuber Hakizimana have made six goals contributions. They have scored three and also assisted three goals.

The trio do not start games together but either of them makes their mark when he comes on.

ALSO READ: Kategeya hits double as Mukura beat Gasogi United in six-goal thriller

Babuwa leading Sunrise survival

Sunrise has been struggling since the start of the season but now their top marksman has come to the rescue recently.

Babuwa hadn't played for some time but, once he got back to the field, he was on fire. He was on target during cluib’s 2-1 win over Gorilla before adding a brace on Friday, December 8 as Sunrise beat Amagaju 2-1, going on to lift the team out of the drop zone.

ALSO READ: In form Babuwa insists he is proving critics wrong

Froger bounces back after fans booing

Thierry Froger and his men were booed by the fans after they were held to a goalless draw by Gasogi United.

The French gaffer reiterated that he understands the fans’ frustration but vowed to improve in the next games. He responded the critics with an emphatic 4-1 win over Gorilla FC on Friday, December 8 at Kigali Pele Stadium.

The defending champions need to be consistent and churn out such results every week as Musanze FC and others are on their heels. They were again unstoppable when they traveled to Huye Stadium to beat Amagaju FC 2-1 on Monday, December 11.

Etoile de l'Est going from bad to worse

Etoile looked not prepared for the topflight league. They recently appointed Nigeria's Amapakabo Kwaku as their new head coach after sacking Maurice Nshimiyimana. However, the Eastern Province-based club looks far from improved.

Their woes continued when they were thrashed 3-0 by Police FC at Ngoma Stadium on Saturday. Etoile last won a league game on November 5 when they beat Gasogi 1-0.

It is early days and there are still 16 more games to play but if Etoile don't lift up their game in the second round of the league and get some good results, they would be relegated.

Ssekisambu shows quality against Rayon

AS Kigali have had a poor season in the league but their redemption could be on the horizons following Saturday’s 2-1 victory over Rayon Sports despite playing with a man down during the last 13 minutes of the match.

Striker Erisa Ssekisambu’s performance was top notch. The Ugandan forward was lively as he completely mesmerized the Rayon Sports defenders.

He proved to be the live wire of AS Kigali against one of their biggest rivals.