League title race opens up

Tuesday Mukura 0-0 Police Wednesday Espoir 1-0 APRIsonga 0-1 AS KigaliAmagaju 1-0 MarinesMusanze 1-0 SunriseEtincelles 0-0 Kiyovu Yesterday Rayon Sports 1-2 Gicumbi Following Wednesday’s results in the National Football League with APR losing to Espoir 0-1 and AS Kigali defeating Isonga 1-0, the race for the top spot is now wide open with two points separating the top two sides with six games left to wrap up the season. At the beginning of the season, many a football fan thought the league title contest would be a two-horse race between the reigning champions APR and Rayon Sports but circumstances have since saw the Blues lose grip after suffering a wide range of misfortunes including financial constraints, player exodus and mismanagement. The Blues’ woes have seen the emergence of AS Kigali, a disciplined side that without the stardom of a big number of national team players and a patient coach in Eric Nshimiyimana, has managed to achieve what many doubted. In Isaie Songa, Nshimiyimana has a striker who has netted nine times this season, only one behind the league top scorer Miamy Mbakiye of SC Kiyovu while Ernest Sugira, also of AS Kigali, has scored seven goals. Most notably has been goalkeeper Shamiru Batte, a diminutive custodian who has mastered the art of instincts alongside experience that has been very crucial in staying afloat with the ‘big boys’ in second position on the table standings. The good decision making of playmaker Justin Mico has been crucial in feeding the forwards and Nshimiyimana hopes that his players will finish the race on a good run. “With the remaining six games, we hope to register 18 points and then we shall wait for the other results elsewhere. No one expected APR to lose to Espoir so you can imagine the level of competition right now,” explained Nshimiyimana. The army side, which has been destructed by a tough run in the Caf Champions League in the past three weeks, will have to set their priorities right if they are to retain the league title. To focus on their remaining seven league games or to give themselves a chance against Al Ahly and attempt to overturn a two-goal deficit in the return leg in Egypt. Whatever the case, the title chase is going to be a close one with Police FC seven points adrift of APR with 33 points and in the chase too. League table Team PD W D L PtsAPR FC 19 12 4 3 40AS Kigali 20 11 5 4 38Police FC 20 8 9 3 33Gicumbi 20 7 9 4 30Kiyovu 20 7 8 5 29Amagaju 20 7 7 6 27Espoir 20 7 5 8 26Rayon 19 6 9 4 24Sunrise 20 5 9 6 24Marines 19 5 7 7 23Mukura 20 4 8 8 20Musanze 20 4 6 10 18Etincelles 19 3 8 8 17Isonga 20 1 8 11 13 editorial@newtimes.co.rw