Friday
Bugesera vs Rayon 7pm
Rayon Sports could go top of the Azam Rwanda Premier League table when they host Bugesera on Friday as the title race reaches crucial stage.
The two sides face-off in their match-day 20 clash at Kigali Stadium, starting at 7pm.
With seven match rounds to the end of the 2018/2019 league season, the Blues are second with 43 points, two adrift of leaders APR who take on Etincelles on Saturday.
Fresh from beating Gicumbi 1-0 on Tuesday, in-form Rayon will be looking to continue their strong performance in 2019 where they have won all their last eight games. They are unbeaten since their 1-0 defeat to Police on December 21, 2018.
"We treat every game like a final for us, there is no time to relax. We expect Bugesera to be a tough opponent, we will have to be at the top of our game,” Rayon Sports coach Roberto Oliveira told Times Sport on Thursday.
While the eight-time champions expect a tough outing, they will be hoping that their Burundian and Ghanaian forwards, Jules Ulimwengu and Michael Sarpong – who have scored a combined total of 19 league goals this season – will be in perfect form against the Nyamata-based side.
Amavubi midfielder Olivier Sefu Niyonzima, who has scored five goals and provided twelve assists this term, is another element that expected to give a hard time to Bugesera defenders with his high-paced runs and dangerous set-pieces.
On the other hand, Bugesera who beat Sunrise 1-0 on Tuesday, won’t be taking any chances or shying away despite hosting the game away from home to benefit from gate collections.
"We need to win the Rayon Sports game; it's the only way we will stand a chance to fight for another day. We have to score goals and defend well and, the players are fit for the mission,” Bugesera coach Seninga told this publication in a separate interview.
Ahead of their highly anticipated clash against Rayon, the 2013 Peace Cup semi-finalists, Bugesera, are in tenth position with 22 points – trailing eight-placed Muhanga and ninth-placed Sunrise by three points.
Bugesera will be in search of their first win over Rayon Sports since October 2017.
editorial@newtimesrwanda.com