Turbo King NationaL football league

Weekend results

Yesterday

Rayon 1-2 Espoir

Musanze 2-0 Esperance

SC Kiyovu 1-1 Marines

Saturday 

APR 1-0 Mukura

Etincelles 0-2 Police

Amagaju 0-2 AS Muhanga 

DEFENDING champions Rayon Sports slumped to their fourth league defeat this season as they lost at home to 10-man Espoir FC yesterday at Stade de Kigali.

Kassim Habyarimana put Emmanuel Ruremesha’s side ahead after just three minutes and André Lomami extended the lead on the 40th minute.

Rayon Sports captain Fuadi Ndayisenga converted a penalty on 61st minute to reduce the deficit but it wasn’t enough to stop Espoir from having their revenge for the first round defeat in Rusizi in November last year.

Habyarimana’s opener came after defenders Arafat Serugendo and Jimmy Mukubya collided with goalie Jean Luc Ndayishimiye leaving the former to score into an empty net. 

Espoir goalkeeper Shamiru Batte was forced into three five saves by Meddie Kagere, Leon Uwimbabazi and Papy Kamanzi.

Five minutes to recess, Lomami punished the Blues following another defensive blunder to shoot past Ndayishimiye.

Rayon Sports exerted pressure in the second half, which resulted in Batte fouling Kagere in the penalty area and then booked by referee Louis Hakizimana. Ndayisenga smashed home the penalty as tensions flared up on the pitch. 

Ndayishimiye had to stop Habyarimana from close range before Kamanzi also tested Batte with a drive from the edge of the box.

With five minutes of additional time, Batte received a second yellow card for handling the ball as he battled to beat Kagere to it.

Victory for Espoir takes them into third place with 35 points, above AS Kigali and SC Kiyovu, while Rayon’s defeat means the reigning champions fall three points behind leaders APR, who won 1-0 against Mukura on Saturday.

APR and Rayon meet in two weeks time in a match that could decide the destiny of the title. Vincent Mashami’s APR lead the league standings with 46 points

Elsewhere, SC Kiyovu missed the chance to go third after dropping points against Marines following a 1-all draw at Mumena stadium. Kiyovu dropped to seventh with 33 points, while Marines are 11th with 14 points. Musanze jumped into fifth place following a 2-0 win over Esperance in Musanze.