Marines take on Gicumbi in relegation battle

Saturday AS Kigali vs Mukura 3:30pm Bugesera vs Sunrise FC Marines vs Gicumbi Kirehe FC vs Police FC Sunday Pepinieres vs SC Kiyovu 3:30pm Etincelles vs APR FC Musanze vs Espoir Marines FC host fellow strugglers and second from bottom Gicumbi FC in the national football league on Saturday at Umuganda Stadium in Rubavu looking for nothing less than a win to increase their chances of avoiding relegation. Abdul Karim ‘Coka’ Nduhirabandi’s Marines are currently in the 14th place with 19 points, four ahead of Gicumbi, with nine rounds of matches remaining. Gicumbi have been in the bottom two all season, along with Pepiniere (11 points). Nduhirabandi has warned his players that they must improve their performance against Gicumbi if the team is to avoid relegation to the second division. Victory for Marines would take them one point ahead of SC Kiyovu (13th) before the latter’s game against Pepiniere on Sunday at Ruyenzi ground. Marines have won five, drawn four and lost 12 games while their opponents have managed three wins and six draws, suffering 12 defeats. “We have won just five matches all season, which is not good enough and we shall need to improve significantly in the remaining games,” Nduhirabandi admitted in an interview with Saturday Sport. Gicumbi head coach Godfroid Okoko said: “We need to win more than we lose in the remaining games and push for a higher position. Our confidence is a bit up because we have done well in the second round but we need to win lots of games, starting with Marines.” “Our priority is to stay in the first division. We have had some problems but we need to be on top of our game in the next nine matches,” said the former Amagaju and Mukura tactician. Elsewhere on Saturday, fourth-placed AS Kigali (40 points) will be taking on Mukura Victory Sports, who are in 12th position with 23 points, at Stade de Kigali. Defeat would be very bad for Ivan Mineart’s team, who have been struggling since the start of season. Vincent Mashami’s sixth-placed Bugesera FC will be up against Sunrise FC (tenth) at Nyamata ground, while Kirehe FC, in ninth-place, will host fourth-placed Police FC at Nyakarambi ground. Action will continue on Sunday when second-placed and defending champions APR FC visit Etincelles (8th) at Umuganda Stadium. For Jimmy Mulisa’s APR FC, who are 11 points behind runaway leaders Rayon Sports, will be looking to reduce the gap but also hope that the Blues drop many points in the remaining nine matches. Bottom-placed Pepiniere will be looking to continue their revival when they entertain struggling SC Kiyovu in Ruyenzi, while Emmanuel Ruremesha’s Musanze FC will play against Espoir at Ubworoherane stadium. Djuma Masudi’s Rayon Sports, who lead the table with 52 points, will play their match day 22 fixture against Amagaju FC on Wednesday at Stade de Kigali. Top scorers Dany Usengimana Police FC 13 Shassir Nahimana Rayon Sports 12 Shaban Hussein Amagaju 12 Wai Yeka Musanze FC12 Justin Mico Police FC 11 Salita Kambale Etincelles 9 Pierrot Kwizera Rayon Sports9 Moussa Camara Rayon Sports8 Emmanuel Sebanani AS Kigali 7 Rashid Mutebi Gicumbi FC 6 League table Team PD W D L Pts Rayon Sports 21 16 4 1 52 APR FC 21 11 8 2 41 Police FC 21 11 7 3 40 AS Kigali 21 12 4 5 40 Musanze 21 9 6 6 33 Bugesera 21 8 8 5 32 Espoir 21 6 9 6 27 Etincelles 21 7 5 9 26 Kirehe FC 21 6 7 8 25 Sunrise 21 6 7 8 25 Amagaju 21 7 4 10 25 Mukura 21 5 8 8 23 Kiyovu 21 5 6 10 21 Marines 21 5 4 12 19 Gicumbi 21 3 6 12 15 Pepiniere 21 2 5 14 11 editorial@newtimes.co.rw