Match-day 1 results

Sunday

Kirehe FC 1-0 MusanzeSunrise 1-0 AS KigaliAPR FC 1-0 AmagajuMarines 0-0 Espoir FC

Saturday

Pepiniere 1-2 Mukura VSEtincelles 3-2 Gicumbi FCBugesera FC 3-0 SC Kiyovu

Friday

Rayon Sports 3-0 Police FC

APR attacking midfielder Muhadjiri Hakizimana says more is yet to come from him after scoring the winning goal against Amagaju on match-day one of the 2016/2017 national football league season on Sunday at Kigali Regional Stadium.

The 22-year old, who dramatically signed in close season on loan from AS Kigali where he had arrived just days earlier from Southern Province outfit Mukura Victory Sports, netted from a brilliantly taken free kick in the 42nd minute from well over 25 yards to secure victory for the defending champions.

The Rwanda international joined AS Kigali from Mukura Victory Sports in July but was a week later snapped up, reportedly on season-long loan, by the army side, with an option to make the move permanent at the end of the season.

Last season, Muhadjiri was the league joint top scorer alongside Police FC forward Danny Usengimana with 16 goals.

Speaking to Times Sport yesterday, the former Etincelles, SC Kiyovu and Mukura player expressed his delight at being the match-winner on his competitive debut for his new side.

"To be honest, it’s a dream start for me, to score in my first competitive match in the league but this is just the beginning of what I hope will be successful time with APR, both at club and personal level. Everyone at the club has shown me love and support since I arrived here,” said Muhadjiri.

He said, "We played well and have gained three points from the opening game, which is a perfect return for us and I am happy with the goal I scored, but we need to continue to work hard and try to win by more goals, but we would still be very happy if we won every game 1-0.”

"I joined APR not just because it’s the best club in Rwanda but I believed I can achieve more success here than anywhere else. My job is to score and create as many goals as I possibly can and win trophies,” he stated.

"I am always trying to be the best that I can by working hard not only during matches but first on the training ground,” Muhadjiri added.

Muhadjiri is the last born in a footballing family that has produced famous players like APR and Amavubi midfielder Abdul Sibomana, Tanzania’s Yanga midfielder and Amavubi skipper Haruna Niyonzima, as well as APR and Amavubi midfielder Djihad Bizimana.

Elsewhere, Rayon Sports also started their quest for the 2016/17 league title with a 3-0 win over rivals Police FC in the opening match of the season on Friday at Kigali Regional Stadium.

The 2013 league champions got their win though last season’s player of the year, Pierrot Kwizera, and new Burundian signing Shassir Nahimana.

"We knew we were going to play against a strong side which likes to play a very physical game, so we had to be well prepared and are thankful we managed to execute our game plan effectively,” Rayon Sports coach Djuma Masudi said in his post-match interview.

Newly promoted Kirehe FC beat Musanze 1-0 at Kirehe ground while Espoir drew away to Marines 0-0 at Umuganda Stadium while Sunrise beat AS Kigali 1-0 at Kicukiro Stadium.

Vincent Mashami’s Bugesera FC kicked off their season with a resounding 3-0 win over SC Kiyovu on Saturday at Nyamata ground, and Etincelles beat 10-man Gicumbi FC 3-2 at Umuganda Stadium. At Ruyenzi ground, another newly promoted side, Pepiniere FC, lost to Mukura Victory Sports 2-1.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw