AS Kigali take on Bugesera seeking to remain in top spot

Saturday Miroplast FC vs Rayon Sports 3:30pmBugesera FC vs AS Kigali Kirehe FC vs Marines SC Kiyovu vs Etincelles Espoir vs Mukura Dec. 27APR FC vs Musanze Gicumbi FC vs Amagaju Azam Rwanda Premier League leaders AS Kigali will visit Bugesera FC on Saturday at Nyamata ground looking for nothing less than a win in order to maintain the top spot. Eric Nshimiyimana’s team leads the table with 17 points same as SC Kiyovu, who will host Etincelles at Mumena Stadium. AS Kigali will be hoping to see Andre Casa Mbungo’s SC Kiyovu drop points, which will see them go three points clear at the top of the table. “It is a very tricky fixture for sure, but it is also good because if you need to be a good side, you need to play more games and win them so we are going for three points, Bugesera have done very well since joining first division but we are ready for the challenge,” Nshimiyimana said. Nshimiyimana admitted that, “We know the game will be tough because Bugesera are dangerous when playing in-front of home fans, they have already beaten Rayon Sports in Nyamata —they held APR there too, so we have to be careful to avoid becoming their next big victim.” The league leaders will miss the service of key midfielder Eric ‘Zidane’ Nsabimana, who is recovering from head injury, Eric Iradukunda (ankle injury), while Bugesera will not have former Isonga, Police and APR FC defender, Heritier Turatsinze through suspension. Bugesera FC interim head coach Maurice Nshimiyimana said, “We want to win and get away from near the relegation zone. We have prepared well and we believe we can get the three points.” Elsewhere, second-placed SC Kiyovu, after two back to back draws in the last two matches, will be hoping to get back to winning ways when they host sixth-placed Etincelles at Mumena stadium. “We are aware of the danger that Etincelles can cause especially after getting three points against the champions Rayon Sports in midweek, so we must be well prepared for the challenge ahead, we want to win the game and keep pressure on AS Kigali,” Casa Mbungo said. However, Etincelles’ head coach Emmanuel Ruremesha admitted that the win against Rayon Sports boosted their morale and they are keen to pull off another win against Kiyovu. “People may think SC Kiyovu are not a big team because of what happened last season, but they have got a good coach and they have quality players, so we must not underestimate them at all,” he noted. Rayon Sports, who are in fifth place with 14 points, will visit second from bottom Miroplast FC (7 points) at Mironko stadium. Olivier Karekezi’s team is still licking their wounds after the 1-0 defeat against Etincelles, and they will be looking for a win against the newly promoted side. Rayon Sports will miss in-form Djabel Manishimwe after he got a straight red card against Etincelles. However, Karekezi, whose team has played one game less than their rivals, will welcome back the Burundian international duo of Pierrot Kwizera and Shassir Nahimana. Meanwhile, after match-day 10 fixtures, the league will take a break to allow the national team to take part in CHAN 2018 finals in Morocco from January 12 through February 4. Amavubi will hold a ten-day training camp in Tunisia from January 2 to 11 before connecting to Morocco. The Rwandan delegation to CHAN will depart for Tunisia on New Year to start preparations ahead of their opening Group C encounter against 2014 champions Libya on January 15 in Tangier. Amavubi will also face Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea in the group. Top scorers J. Claude Ndarusanze AS Kigali 6Rashid Mutebi Mukura 5Salita Kambale Etincelles 4Isaie Songa Police FC 4Jean Paul Uwimbabazi Kirehe FC 3 League tableTeam PD W D L PtsAS Kigali 9 5 2 2 17SC Kiyovu 9 5 2 2 17APR FC 9 4 4 1 16Police FC 9 4 3 2 15Rayon Sports 8 4 2 2 14Mukura 9 3 5 1 14Etincelles 9 3 5 1 13Sunrise FC 9 3 3 3 12Marines 9 3 3 3 12Gicumbi FC 9 3 1 5 10Kirehe FC 9 3 0 6 9Bugesera 9 2 3 4 9Musanze 7 2 2 3 8Amagaju 9 2 2 5 8Miroplast 8 1 4 3 7Espoir 9 1 4 4 7 editorial@newtimes.co.rw