Saturday

Musanze FC vs Rayon Sports 3:30pmEspoir vs EtincellesMukura vs BugeseraGicumbi FC vs AmagajuAS Kigali vs Pepiniere

Sunday

Sunrise FC vs SC Kiyovu 3:30pmPolice FC vs APR FCKirehe FC vs Marines

Musanze FC head coach Sosthene Habimana has said he will not have any favours when he comes up against his former employers Rayon Sports in the Azam Rwanda Premier League on Saturday at Ubworoherane ground in Musanze.

The game comes two weeks before the two teams meet in Peace Cup last 16. The last 16 ties will be played over two legs, starting on the weekend of May 10-11 while the second leg will be staged a week later.

Rayon Sports are overwhelming favorires to win this season’s title. They lead the table with 55 points, five points ahead of defending champions APR FC, the latter having played two games more.

However, following their exit from this year’s CAF Confederation Cup last week, Rayon Sport’s spirit has been further dampened after the club suspension head coach Djuma Masudi for one week, leaving assistant coach Maurice ‘Maso’ Nshimiyimana in charge of today’s match.

In their 22 league matches this season, Rayon Sports have lost just once, bitter rivals APR FC.

They need to win four of their next eight matches to claim the title regardless of what happens elsewhere.

On the other hand, Musanze FC, who are in sixth place with 38 points, are on their longest unbeaten run spanning nine games. Their last defeat was against Amagaju FC, 1-0, back in January.

In their last nine games, they have won five and drawn four and, according to Habimana, they will be looking to stretch this streak further as they chase for top positions.

He said: "We know our opponents quite well, and we understand how important this game means to them, they are a few games from winning the title and they will definitely be looking to avoid any slipup, but we are in a good position to halt their unbeaten run.”

"We haven’t lost a game in the previous nine, so we shall be looking to keep that rhythm,” added Habimana, a former Rayon Sports player and coach.

Rayon Sports won the corresponding fixture 4-1 at Stade de Kigali, with Burundian striker Shassir Nahimana netting a hat-trick.

However, the Northern Province-based side have since been a serious threat to top clubs bagging points against the likes of Police FC and AS Kigali, and their striker Wai Yeka is the league’s second top-scorer with 13 goals, two behind Police’s Dany Usengimana.

Victory for Rayon Sports would take them eight points ahead of second-placed APR FC before the latter’s clash against third-placed Police FC at Stade de Kigali on Sunday.

Elsewhere, seventh-placed Espoir FC will host Etincelles, who are in eighth, at Kamarampaka ground in Rusizi, while Mukura Victory Sports, in 11th place, will take on fifth-placed Bugesera FC at Huye Stadium.

Eric Nshimiyimana’s fourth-placed AS Kigali will be hoping for maximum points against bottom side Pepiniere FC at Stade de Kigali with Gicumbi, second from bottom, up against Amagaju at Stade de Gicumbi.

Top scorer

Dany Usengimana Police FC 15Wai Yeka Musanze FC 13Justin Mico Police FC 12Shassir Nahimana Rayon Sports 12Shaban Hussein Amagaju 12

League table

Team PD W D L PtsRayon 22 17 4 1 55APR FC 24 14 8 2 50Police FC 24 13 8 3 47AS Kigali 24 13 5 6 44Bugesera 24 10 9 5 39Musanze 24 10 8 6 38Espoir 24 8 9 7 33Etincelles 24 8 6 10 30Kirehe FC 24 7 7 10 28Sunrise FC 24 6 9 9 27Mukura 23 6 8 9 26Amagaju 24 7 5 12 26SC Kiyovu 24 5 7 12 22Marines 24 5 5 14 20Gicumbi FC 23 4 6 13 18Pepiniere 24 2 6 16 12

editorial@newtimes.co.rw