With five games to play in the 2020/21 season, some teams in the top eight league have so far positioned themselves among contenders for this season’s league title. The top eight league comprises defending champions APR FC, Rayon Sports, Marines FC, AS Kigali, Police FC, Bugesera FC, Espoir FC and Rutsiro FC. APR FC remains unbeaten in the league since last season and are looking to retain the league title without a single defeat for the second year running. The army side has won 19 league titles in 27 years. APR’s Moroccan coach Adil Muhammed Erradi has a quality squad at his disposal, mixed with experience in the likes of Jacques Tuyisenge, one of the best defenders led by club captain Thierry Manzi and a variety of talent in Djabel Manishimwe, not forgetting attacking options in Lague Byiringiro, Danny Usengimana and Yannick Bizimana. That positions his team as the favorites for the title, but that does not mean it is a guarantee with some pundits pointing out challengers like AS Kigali and Rayon Sports. AS Kigali AS Kigali have never won the league title but have come close on two occasions. The City of Kigali sponsored side are level on points with APR with five matches to go and Coach Eric Nshimiyimana is keen to win his first league title in his career. David Bayingana, a veteran sports journalist who works for B&B FM, said AS Kigali have finally graduated from title pretenders to challengers and tips them to be candidates for the league title. “AS Kigali’s management has built a well-organized team whose experience in continental competitions is helping them push for a domestic title. Their current performance shows us that they are candidates for the title. They look like serious challengers for the title,” he said. APR FC and Rayon Sports are always tipped by many to be favorites for the title before the league starts but RBA sports journalist Patty Habarugira also said AS Kigali looks to be serious title contenders this season, based on the impressive performance that the club has shown against the two sides, including a win against Rayon and a draw against APR FC. “We are talking about a club with one of the best, if not the best, defensive partnership in Hassan Karera and Faustin Usengimana, an experienced goalkeeper in Eric Bakame Ndayishimiye and a good midfielder in Pierrot Kwizera, who is back to his best,” he said. “We are also talking about a club with the best striking force like Shabban Hussein Tshabalala and Hussein Lawaal who can change the destiny of a match any time. APR FC remain favorites but I think AS Kigali are good enough to win the title,” he added. How about Rayon Sport? Rayon’s dressing room has had highs and lows on and off the pitch and only a few think, with that environment, the club can do ‘miracles’ and win the league. Head coach Guy Bukasa started the title race with confidence with good players like new signing Heritier Luvumbu and Kevin Muhire, striker Ernest Sugira and Olivier Kwizera. However, he lost Muhire to injury and has already lost faith and confidence in Kwizera and Sugira whose poor form don’t belong to a team aiming to become league champions. “A team like that cannot challenge for the league title. Bukasa must use this break to bring the dressing room back to order if he is to get back the Blues in the title race because it’s not over yet. He should also fill the club’s defensive holes because his team is conceding so many goals,” he added.
