PNFL FixturesSaturdayRayon Sport vs SC KiyovuAPR vs AmagajuAS Kigali vs EspoirSundayMarines vs MuhangaPolice vs EtincellesLa Jeunesse vs MusanzeMukura vs IsongaRayon Sport will be hoping to make their ‘home ground advantage’ count when they take on rivals SC Kiyovu in their first encounter of the 2012/13 Primus National Football League this afternoon at Amahoro stadium. It will be the first time, in-form Kiyovu striker Bokota Labama comes up against his former club, while midfielder Hussein Sibomana will also be coming against his former side in what promises to be a an exciting clash between two teams that love to hate each other.The match will be preceded with an English Premier League epic clash between Manchester United and Arsenal at Old Trafford, at 12:45 GMT (2:45pm Rwandan time).Rayon Sport assistant coach Ali Bizimungu, who will be in charge against his former club in the absence of head coach Didier Gomes da Rosa, admits this is one of the big games of the season.“Historically this is a big game. It finds Kiyovu in good position, leading the league table and I believe it is going to be a massive clash. “Our position on the table doesn’t look good and we know it, but the target is to get maximum points such that we can move up the table. It is not going to be easy but it is achievable,” Bizimungu told Times Sport.He added, “We have had enough training because our game with APR (last weekend) was postponed. We needed that break to rectify a few mistakes in training and now I feel we’re ready physically and mentally.” Bizimungu is likely to miss his two key midfielders Djamal Mwiseneza and Aphrodis Hategikimana, who limped off with injuries in Wednesday’s training session. “I have not completely ruled them out and I hope they both recover to play against Kiyovu,” noted the former Kiyovu coach.His counterpart, Jean Baptiste Kayiranga admits they expect a tough challenge from a side desperate for points, but his team will leave nothing to chance. “We are facing a resilient Rayon Sport team but we’re confident nothing will stop us from collecting all three points. We need to win as much as they do. So it’s going to be an open game,” acknowledged the former Rayon coach.Kiyovu goes into today’s clash looking for its seventh league win in eight matches, while Rayon, which has struggled for results since relocating to Nyanza, has only won twice and lost four time in six matches.Defending champions APR, in third position and six points behind Kiyovu, face Amagaju at Mumena, while second-placed AS Kigali take on Espoir at Stade de Kigali.Led by the league top scorer Jimmy Mbaraga, AS Kigali is second in the standings with 14 points, four behind SC Kiyovu and a win will see them keep pressure on the leaders. APR, who have a game in hand against Rayon Sport, are six points off the pace, but a win over eighth-placed Amagaju will keep them in sight for a record-extending fourteenth league title.On Sunday, Police will be hoping to record a win when they face bottom of the battle side Etincelles at Kicukiro artificial turf.In Rubavu, Marines will host AS Muhanga; Musanze will play away to La Jeunesse at Mumena stadium while Mukura will come up against Isonga at Kamena grounds.
