Sogonya confident about keeping Kirehe in topflight

Friday Musanze FC 4-2 MukuraSunrise FC 0-1 Espoir FCKirehe FC 0-0 GicumbiMarines 1-0 SC KiyovuAS Kigali 1-3 Police FCPepiniere 1-1 Amagaju Fc Kirehe Football Club head coach Hamiss ‘Kishi’ Sogonya is confident about keeping the Eastern Province-based club in the topflight league and avoid a return to the second division at the first time of asking. The league debutants dropped two crucial points in a goalless draw against fellow strugglers Gicumbi FC on Friday at Nyakarambi ground, which left Kirehe in 13th place with 29 points, just two ahead of SC Kiyovu, who occupy the last of two relegation spots. Sogonya’s team will wind up the season away to Mukura try to remain into the top flight division and failure to get something from that tie, coupled with wins for Gicumbi and SC Kiyovu, would mean relegation for Kirehe. Bottom side Pepiniere FC have already been relegated. “We are in bad position because we have dropped many points, especially at home. We did enough to win the game against Gicumbi but we could not get a breakthrough, credit to Gicumbi for defending so well,” Sogonya said after the match. He added, “We still have one game to play, which we have to win to be sure of staying in this division, we are going to prepare players vey well, especially psychologically.” “We’ve suffered especially in the second round because we lost some players in January, leaving us with a small squad; it is a big problem because we have only 22 players available. I think a point against Mukura will be enough so we will give our best,” noted the former AS Kigali, Espoir and SC Kiyovu coach. His counterpart at Gicumbi, Godfroid Okoko, whose team will be up against relegated Pepiniere on the final day, saluted his players for gaining what could turn out to be an important point. Gicumbi, who were second from bottom for most of the season until last week after registering seven points from possible nine before Friday’s draw, had beaten Mukura 2-1 and Musanze 2-0 to boost their chances of preserving their premier league status. “I am very pleased with my players, who have given everything to get points on board, and now for the first time since the season started, we are out of danger zone so we must fight and get three points from the final game,” Okoko said. He, however, added, “We still have a lot of work to do against Pepiniere but at least we have got an important point today. My plan is to save Gicumbi FC from relegation, it is the reason I came here.” Meanwhile, the situation looks much worse for SC Kiyovu, one of Rwanda’s oldest football clubs, who dropped into the bottom two after losing to fellow strugglers Marines 1-0 at Umuganda Stadium. The Green Baggies are in danger of being relegated to second division for the first time. Marines FC jumped to 12th position with 30 points, thanks to the lone goal from Amri Kalisa in the 43rd minute, while SC Kiyovu dropped into danger zone with 27 points, with one game remaining, against champions-elect Rayon Sports. To stay in the topflight division SC Kiyovu need to beat Rayon Sports and hope that 14th-placed Gicumbi FC, who are one point ahead, lose or draw against Pepiniere or Kirehe, who are in 13th place, lose to Mukura. editorial@newtimes.co.rw League table Team PD W D L PTSRayon Sports 28 21 6 1 69Police FC 29 16 10 3 58APR FC 28 15 11 2 56AS Kigali 29 14 8 7 50Bugesera 28 12 10 6 46Musanze 29 11 9 9 42Espoir 29 9 12 8 39Etincelles 28 9 9 10 36Sunrise FC 29 8 9 12 33Amagaju 29 9 6 14 33Mukura 29 8 8 13 32Marines 29 8 6 15 30Kirehe FC 29 7 8 14 29Gicumbi 29 7 7 15 28SC Kiyovu 29 6 9 14 27Pepiniere 29 2 8 19 14 editorial@newtimes.co.rw