Despite spending much of the season at the bottom of the BK Pro League table, Martin Fabrice Twagizimana insists that AS Muhanga still have the chance to avoid relegation. Twagizimana scored the lone goal as AS Muhanga boosted their survival hopes with a shock 1-0 victory over Rayon Sports FC at Muhanga Stadium on Wednesday May 6. The win powered the Muhanga-based side currently sit second from bottom with 27 points, just one point behind 15th-placed Amagaju FC, with four matches remaining in the season. Rutsiro FC occupy the bottom spot with 26 points, while clubs such as Gicumbi FC (32 points) and AS Kigali (29 points) are also fighting to avoid relegation. And relegation battle continues, Twagizimana said the players and management remain united in their determination to keep the club in the top flight next season. “We cannot play like a team that has already been relegated. It is too early to say AS Muhanga are out of the top tier league,” the former Police FC and APR FC midfielder said. “Beating Rayon Sports has given us confidence and belief.” “Some people may already think we are relegated, but we are ready to surprise many. Nobody knows how the league will end. We still have four matches left, which means 12 points are still available, so anything can happen. We must continue fighting with heart,” he added. The 35-year-old midfielder also stressed that the relegation battle remains wide open with more teams still fighting to keep their place in top flight football. “There are five or six teams involved in this fight, and we are just one of them. The responsibility is on us as players to do everything possible to remain in the top league, and we believe we are capable of doing that,” he said. Head coach Moussa Gatera also expressed confidence in the club’s chances of surviving relegation. Gatera was appointed with the task of helping AS Muhanga retain their top-flight status while building a stronger team for the future. “There are always ups and downs in football, It’s been a tough campaign for me so far, it’s not over yet, the battle continues,” Gatera said. With four matches remaining, AS Muhanga still have to face Al Hilal SC, Kiyovu Sports, Amagaju FC, and Marine FC in what promises to be a tense battle for survival. To realistically secure safety, AS Muhanga may need to win at least three of their remaining four matches and push beyond the 30-point mark, which is likely to determine survival this season.
