With four points behind table-toppers SC Kiyovu, Rayon Sports’ head coach Francis Haringingo is not giving up on the title as he vows to play each of the four remaining games as a final to keep the team’s title dreams alive. Cameroonian forward Leandre Willy Onana hit the winner in Rayon’s 2-1 victory over Rwamagana City during Sunday’s match replay held at Ngoma Stadium, a result that restored the Blues’ hopes of winning the title despite trailing four points behind Kiyovu who lead the race with 56 points with just four game remaining to play. With the remaining four games, we hope to register 12 points and then we shall wait for results elsewhere, said Haringingo who insists everything is still possible until the last day of the campaign. “No one expected APR to lose to the Police so you can imagine the level of competition right now.” Of the top three teams locked up in the title race, APR and Rayon are more experienced in winning the league, having won it on more occasions than Kiyovu who have never won the silverware since 1993. The latter, however, have an upper hand on the title this season with a three-point lead in the title race. Regardless how the table may shape up now, Haringingo believes his side still stands a chance to fight until the last day of the league campaign in a statement he made after victory in Ngoma. We are happy for this win; Rwamagana City are a very good team with experienced players and coach, so to beat them is something we have to be proud of because it gives us more confidence going into the next matches, he said. I am happy that we are back in the title race at this stage, we are doing everything possible to stay close to the leaders. At the beginning of the season, many football fans thought the league title contest would be a two-horse race between defending champions APR and 2022 Peace Cup winners AS Kigali but circumstances have since seen the Kigali City-sponsored side lose grip after a series of disappointing results in the second round of the league including Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Musanze at Ubworoherane Stadium. Rayon and Kiyovu weighed in and challenged the army side in the title race until the Green Baggies positioned themselves in the right direction to their dream title. Nine-time champions Rayon obviously have the easiest fixtures of the three title rivals as they hope to beat Espoir, Gorilla, Marines and Sunrise and wait for any slipup from Kiyovu and APR.
