Al-Merrikh head coach Darko Novic expressed a feeling of relief after seeing his team finally get recover from a slow start to the Rwanda Premier League.

The Serbian tactician had been under pressure after Al-Merrikh lost two of their first league matches, but the team has since bounced back with two consecutive victories, including Sunday’s hard-fought 2–1 win over AS Kigali at Kigali Pele Stadium.

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"We did not start well, but we are starting to catch up. The league is strong, and every team wants three points, so we must be ready for every game ahead of us,” Novic told journalists in a post-match interview.

"Specific comments often praise my players' dedication and the team’s resilience, especially when they secured crucial points. I challenged them to get a positive outcome even in the next matches,” he said.

Novic also highlighted the team’s discipline and tactical maturity as key to the team’s return to form.

"I am satisfied with how the players followed the game plan against a strong opponent like AS Kigali. We played a tactical and technical game. I thank the players for following the instructions and the fans who were behind us,” he added.

Sunday’s victory lifted Al-Merrikh to 14th place with nine points from five matches, putting them level on points with AS Kigali, who have already played 12 games this season.

The Sudanese club returns to action on Wednesday, October 10, when they host Marines FC at Kigali Pele Stadium.