Thursday
Rayon vs Rutsiro FC (Kigali Pele Stadium, 18:00)
Rayon Sports captain Kevin Muhire believes his team can bounce back from last weekend’s Peace Cup disappointment and return to winning ways when they face Rutsiro FC at Kigali Pele Stadium on Thursday.
Rayon dropped to second place in the league where they trail APR who beat Marines 3-0 on Wednesday, May 1, to move top of the table.
Darko Novic has his eyes set on winning the final sprint and complete a double by stealing to title from the Blues just like he did on Sunday, May 4, when they beat them 2-0 in the final to lift the Peace Cup 2025.
However, Muhire assured the fans that he and his teammates have put the Peace Cup loss behind and are eager to bounce back and beat Rutsiro FC to keep their title hopes alive.
"We have had good preparations and we are taking every game as the final match and try to win it which is always the target,” Muhire said.
"Yes, we failed to win the Peace Cup but we don’t have to put our heads down and keep crying, it is time to wake up and fight for the end of the season. We only have few games to finish the campaign and we don’t have to make mistakes anymore, we have to win every game so that we can keep the pace on APR,” he added.
ALSO READ: Ouattara and Mugisha on target as APR end eight-year Peace Cup jinx
As it stands, APR are top of the table with 55 points, two clear of Rayon Sports who have a game in hand.
Muhire said that every player in the group wants to win the league at any cost and avoid to finish what has been a good season for the club so far empty-handed.
However, he warned his teammates that destiny is in their own hands and the remaining five games will decide their season.
ALSO READ: Rayon Sports: Fall out from APR defeat widens
Rutsiro FC, currently fifth with 37 points, have had a good season on their return from the second division.
Their coach Mousa Gatera is also expected to be back on the touchline after days of suspension over poor performance against APR FC.
Gatera has built a fearsome side in the club but all Muhire cares is about the win, no matter who is in their way.
"Beating Rutsiro will boost our confidence ahead of the next matches, but we will have to be careful because they are a very good team in league. Against Rutsiro, it will be tough and we will try to use the chances we get because we don’t have to sleep, so it is important for us to win this game,” he said.
Rayon are chasing their first league title since 2019 when Brazilian coach Robertinho was at the helm. He is currently serving a two-month suspension due to poor performance.