Monday, December 29 AS Muhanga vs Al Merrikh SC (Muhanga Stadium, 15:00) Al Hilal vs AS Kigali (Kigali Pelé Stadium, 18:00) Al Hilal Omdurman will square off against AS Kigali on Monday at Kigali Pelé Stadium, seeking to maintain momentum in the Rwanda Premier League. Laurențiu Reghecampf’s side returned to winning ways with a 3–1 victory over Gorilla FC on December 24. With 11 players away on national team duty at the Africa Cup of Nations, Reghecampf admitted his team is not operating at full strength but remains confident the available squad can rise to the occasion. “We have now started to get used to the league and we are ready for every encounter ahead of us,” the Romanian coach said. “We need to take every game seriously and earn three points, which will help us move up the table. “I feel no pressure at all. We will go into the game to enjoy ourselves and do our best to get a victory. We are not at our best, but I believe we can still get all three points.” Al Hilal face an AS Kigali side that has won only twice in their last 14 league matches, a run the Citizens are keen to end against the Sudanese giants. “Al Hilal is a very tough side, especially in ball distribution and their quick counterattacks,” said AS Kigali head coach Shaban Mbarushimana. “But I am confident we can challenge them. “It is a very tricky fixture, but it is also a good test. If you want to become a strong team, you must play big matches to gain confidence. We are going for three points and we are ready for the challenge.” Meanwhile, high flying Al Merrikh SC will be looking to secure their ninth consecutive league victory when they visit bottom-placed AS Muhanga at Muhanga Stadium. Al Merrikh SC sit third on the table with 24 points, and winning their four games in hand would see them leapfrog league leaders Police FC and open a seven-point lead at the summit.
