Kiyovu handed tough group in 2nd division league

SC Kiyovu will have a mountain to climb to realise their hope of a return to the Azam Rwanda Premier League after being drawn in a tough group in the second division. The draws for the second tier division league were done on Saturday at the Rwanda Football Federation headquarters in Remera and saw SC Kiyovu drawn in group B alongside SEC Academy, Rugende, Heroes, La Jeunesse, Intare FC, AS Muhanga, UR, United Stars, Hope FC and Vision Jeunesse Nouvelle. The second division league will start in October and Kiyovu, who were relegated from the topflight league for the first in the club’s 53-year history, will be looking for a quick comeback. Group A has Unity FC, Aspor, Gasabo, Vision, Giti Cy’inyoni, Esperance, Rwamagana City, Akagera, Etoile de L’est, Nyagatare, Sorwathe and Pépinière, who dropped along with Kiyovu last season. SC Kiyovu had their 53 years of top flight football league participation halted following relegation to second division league on the final day of the 2016/17 league season after losing 1-2 to champions Rayon Sports. The Mumena-based club Kiyovu conceded the high highest number of goals last season (45) after Gicumbi (48) and Pepiniere FC (47), who finished bottom. Last season, Kiyovu started using only local players to follow in the footsteps of APR FC (four seasons now) and Police FC (two seasons) that first took the bold move to use only Rwandan players. During their 53 years in the top flight, Kiyovu won three league titles in 1983, 1992 and 1993. They also won the Coupe du Rwanda twice in 1975 and 1985. editorial@newtimes.co.rw