AS Kigali host Kiyovu in top of table showdown

TuesdayAS Kigali Vs SC Kiyovu 3:30pmMarines Vs Bugesera FCSunrise FC Vs Kirehe FCEspoir1 Vs Police FC It will be first against second when AS Kigali and SC Kiyovu face off in an Azam Rwanda Premier League fixture Tuesday at Kigali Stadium in Nyamirambo with the winner set to go three points clear at the top of the table. The teams have been in an impressive form so far and both will be keen to maintain their remarkable start to the season before the league is called off at the end of this month as the national team, Amavubi, will be starting preparations for the 2018 CHAN finals in Morocco. Both sides are tied at the top of the table with 16 points. They have both managed to win five games, drawn once and lost two games but AS Kigali are top courtesy of a better goal difference of 9 compared to SC Kiyovu’s 3. Eric Nshimiyimana’s AS Kigali will be led by new signing Jean Claude Ndarusanze, who is also the league’s top scorer with 6 goals. Former Rayon Sports midfielder Fabrice Kakule Mugheni is SC Kiyovu’s top scorers with three goals. “I am happy that we are at the top of the table, especially at the time we are preparing for a big game against Kiyovu, with whom we are tied on points. It’s going to be a tough game for both teams but our goal is to win and stay top,” Nshimiyimana said. He added: “It will be good to get all three points from this game because a win keeps us at the top of the table and three points ahead of the team in the second place.” However, Andre Casa Mbungo, who has transformed SC Kiyovu from relegation status into a winning side that’s currently flying high on the table ahead of big boys APR FC (in 3rd) and defending champions Rayon Sports, who are in fourth place. “We made some mistakes in the last game against Marines (which ended 1-1) but we will work towards correcting them in this game (against AS Kigali). We have stay the course and contest top positions,” he said. Former AS Kigali coach noted that, “If we can play our normal game, we have a chance to get all three points but we also know it’s not going to be easy, AS Kigali are doing well and they’re top of the table.” Elsewhere, on Tuesday, fifth-placed Police FC, fresh from losing 1-0 against Rayon Sports on Saturday, will be hoping to bounce back when they take on bottom side Espoir in Rusizi. Victory for Innocent Seninga’s team at Kamarampaka Stadium will take them up to third place with 15 points. Ninth-placed Sunrise FC host Kirehe FC, who are 11th, with both teams tied on nine points, at Nyagatare ground, while Marines (10th) will host 12th-placed Bugesera FC at Umuganda Stadium in Rubavu. editorial@newtimes.co.rw