AS Kigali coach defiant despite midweek defeat

SaturdayEspoir vs EsperanceAs Muhanga vs Marines Despite losing 2-1 to visitors Mukura in the ninth round of the Turbo King Football League season on Tuesday, surprise early pace-setters AS Kigali head coach says his side is still going strong and will bounce back soon. Andrew Gasambungo told Times Sport after the match on Tuesday that his players are still enjoying themselves at the top of the table and the City of Kigali-sponsored team is under no pressure even as they are now just a point clear at the summit. Tuesday’s result was AS Kigali’s second defeat in the last nine games, and the team now has 21 points, a point ahead of APR FC. The City of Kigali side dominated the first half and scored first through striker Bodo Ndikumana on the 20th minute, but Mukura responded in an emphatic way with two goals in second half. Nelson Minani scored the equaliser 12 minutes after the break, while Hussein Cyiza Mugabo put the game beyond AS Kigali’s reach with a beauty on 65 minutes. Asked whether his team was starting to crack under pressure, with local giants APR, Kiyovu, Rayon Sports and Police all breathing down their necks, Gasambungo said, “I feel no pressure at all.” He added, “Of course no one likes to lose, but for us this defeat does not come with any pressure. We are still at the top, and we have learned lessons from the last couple of games, including today’s.” But Gasambungo acknowledged the challenge they have on their hands, especially with the league proving to get more competitive by the day. “We’re just savouring every moment we spend at the top, we know we are not guaranteed of the top spot, we know the big boys are right behind us. We’re still a young team, the players will need time to get used to being at the top and stay there until the end, but that’s maybe for the future,” he conceded. Michel Ndahinduka fired APR to within one point of leaders AS Kigali, scoring the lone goal in their fixture against Musanze on Tuesday. SC Kiyovu jumped into third position with 18 points after beating Sam Ssimbwa’s Police FC 2-0, thanks to goals from Hussein Habimana and Ali Musa. Defending champions Rayon Sports suffered their second defeat in four days, after falling 2-1 to bottom-half side Etincelles. Yussuf Kayihura Chami and Arafat Bahame scored for the Rubavu-based outfit, while Meddie Kagere scored the consolation for the Blues, who consequently slipped to fifth place with 16 points – five points behind leaders AK Kigali.