Seninga bemoans individual errors as Police drop points

FridayAPR FC 2-2 PoliceBugesera 2-0 MukuraEtincelles 1-1 EspoirAmagaju 4-0 Gicumbi Innocent Seninga, the head coach of Police FC has admitted that individual errors cost his team what would have been a well-deserved win against APR as both sides drew 2-2 on Friday at Kigali Regional Stadium. Defending champions APR FC came into the game hoping to get maximum points and go three points clear at the top while their opponents, who started the day, three points behind in third place, were seeking to win and pull level with the top two. And indeed, after a shaky start by both teams, midfielder Muhadjiri Hakizimana put APR ahead in the 25th minute from a controversial indirect free-kick awarded by the referee after Police goalkeeper Marcel Nzarora was judged to have collected a back pass from his teammate Innocent Twagizimana. APR continued to dominate however both sides went into the half time break with the score still 1-0. Police came back with renewed vigor and equalized through league top scorer Dany Usengimana’s header in the 47th minute. The goal took the striker’s tally for the season to eight in ten games. Seninga’s team dominated the second period, and doubled the lead with a brilliant free-kick from defender Jean Marie Vianney Muvandimwe in the 63rd minute following Helve Rugwiro’s foul on Police striker Mico Justin on the edge of the penalty area. However, Police lost goalkeeper Nzarora, who suffered a thigh muscle strain in the 73rd minute and was replaced by Emmanuel Bwanakweli, gifted APR an equaliser in the latter stages of the match. “I am disappointed because we were determined to win the match and we came so close but things changed when Nzarora got injured and I was forced to replace him with Bwanakweli who is inexperience cost us, but all in all I was happy with our performance,” said Seninga. The former SC Kiyovu and Etincelles coach refused to blame Nzarora for APR’s first goal, which should have been avoided, had the young goalie just played the ball instead of catching it. The draw saw APR leapfrog Rayon Sports at the top with 24 points, ahead of their archrivals, who played Musanze FC yesterday. Police FC remain third with 21 points while fourth-placed Espoir FC maintained their unbeaten run after drawing 1-1 with Etincelles to move to 20 points. Etincelles jumped to seventh with 15 points. Southern Province-based side Amagaju FC hammered struggling Gicumbi FC 4-0 in Nyamagabe with Shabani Hussein netting a hat-trick while Yves Lileko Bokatola scored the other. Despite registering the biggest win of the season, Amagaju remain in 13th place with eight points while Gicumbi are 15th with four points. In Nyamata, Vincent Mashami’s Bugesera FC remains unbeaten at home after edging Mukura Victory Sports 2-0 to jump to fifth place with 18 points while Godfroid Okoko’s Mukura remain 12th on nine points after ten rounds of matches. editorial@newtimes.co.rw