Saturday
Rayon Sports vs Police
AS Kigali vs Mukura
Sunday
Etincelles vs Gasogi United
APR vs Bugesera
Espoir vs SC Kiyovu
Rayon Sports have an uphill task to beat Police FC on Saturday, April 1, to keep pressure on title rivals APR who now lead the race with six league matches to play.
The Blues seek to end their four-year topflight league title drought and a lot is at stake for head coach Francis Haringingo and his men who are three points off the top.
Rayon are unbeaten in their last nine games, having recovered from catastrophic first round of the league to hitting the top in the second round during which they recorded important victories against current league leaders APR.
Sitting third on the table with 46 points, a victory against Police on Saturday at Muhanga Stadium is all the team needs to pile more pressure on the army side by going level on points with 49 points.
"Winning the league title remains our key priority this season. I am very grateful that, as a team, we are pulling in the same direction and working together towards achieving this target,” Haringingo said.
"I know Police are a good team and they will be out for a win but we will try to minimize their chances of scoring and we are ready for the challenge. I believe we can win and go home with three points,” he added.
In the 17 meetings between the two teams, Rayon have the upper hand having won seven, lost three and drawn seven. The Blues beat Police FC 1-0 on September 8, 2022 in the first round of the league.
Police FC is one of the unpredictable teams in the league and they win games that you least expect. Their 2-1 victory over an in-form Kiyovu team tells it all as they showed character by coming from behind to win the clash.
It therefore won’t be an easy test to pass for Haringingo who will be facing a club which has shown that they can upset anyone under the ranks of head coach Vincent Mashami even if their title hopes may have come to an end.
The former Amavubi gaffer is optimistic that his side is capable of beating Rayon Sports and warned that they won’t take the match lightly.
"I think we are capable of winning,” Mashami said.
"It will be a tough game because our opponents are very strong but we are ready. I know when my team is at their top form, we are capable of beating anyone, so we have to have confidence in our ability,” he added.
ALSO READ: Police FC hold APR in draw
Mashami will bang his hopes on striker Didier Mugisha who scored in each of his club&039;s last three games. The attacker who had a call up to the Amavubi is ready to guide his team to victory.
"It is going to be a good game, a very tight one but we will go out for a win. We just have to focus throughout." Mugisha told Times Sport.
ALSO READ: Ojera wins Rayon player of the month for February
Rayon has been superb in attack, their February player of the month Joackim Ojera and Leandre Onana have netted a combined goals of six in their last six games. The Police FC defenders must be at their maximum best to stop them.
Other Games
On Saturday, AS Kigali , who have been very abysmal in their last five games now look lost in the title race, will welcome Mukura Victory in a game which could determine the fate of coach Andre Casa Mbungo. The citizens are without a win in five games having drawn three and lost three.
On Sunday, relegation-threatened Marines FC will be hoping to beat Musanze at Umuganda Stadium to enhance their survival chances while table leaders APR take on Bugesera.
Since the 1-0 defeat to Rayon on February 12, APR have been on fire and looked unstoppable, hitting the top form that saw them regain their superiority in the domestic league. Ben Moussa has created a free-scoring attack in Yannick Bizimana, Gilbert Mugisha and Ramadhan Niyibizi thanks to whom the club has scored at least three goals during their last four outings.
Espoir will take on SC Kiyovu in Rusizi while Etincelles will host Gasogi United.