APR FC defender credits teamwork for crucial win

Monday Musanze FC 0-3 APR FC Thursday Rwamagana City vs Musanze FC APR FC defender Emery Bayisenge has hailed the support he got from his teammates that saw him score a brace against Musanze FC on Monday afternoon at Kigali Regional Stadium. The Amavubi Stars central defender scored a brace and Djihad Bizimana added a last minute strike to hand the reigning champions APR FC a deserved 3-0 win over Musanze FC in match day 13 The former U-17 and U20 national team captain said, “This is another good game, I am happy with the way I scored the goals and I hope to do well in the future because scoring gives you more confidence, I am looking forward to doing my best.” Bayisenge scored two brilliant free kicks, the first in the 25th minute past Musanze first choice goalkeeper Olivier Ndayisaba, before netting another in the 74th minute past former APR goalie Omar Rwabugiri after Ndayisaba was sent off for holding the ball outside the area. Then with a minute to stoppage time, Bizimana scored a long-range shot off a rebounding ball from a corner to seal a comfortable win for the military side. “We needed this victory and are looking forward to improve our position on the league table. We want to win all the remaining games,” he added APR will play against Marines before meeting AS Kigali for the postponed games due to CAF Champions league games. The win took reigning champions APR to second spot in the league standings with 30 points in 13 matches played this season. Musanze FC is 12th with 12 points. The game was the last for coach Emmanuel Rubona in charge of the military side as he will now be assistant to Tunisian-born tactician Nizar Khanfir, who has been brought in on a six-month deal. The appointment of Khanfir comes four days before APR host regional rivals Young Africans in the Orange CAF Champions League 1/16th round. Khanfir joins the military side on Sunday after parting ways with Tunisian club Stade Gabesien a week ago following a mutual agreement. He was a member of the Tunisia coaching staff during the U-23 Africa Cup of Nations in Senegal last December. Yanga and APR will meet in the CAF Champions League second round encounter after both teams qualified from the opening round. Yanga dispatched Cercle de Joachim of Mauritius by 3-0 goals on aggregate, while APR beat Swaziland’s Mbabane Swallows by 4-2 on aggregate. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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APR FC defender credits teamwork for crucial win