Cedrick Kubwimana rose to the occasion to score a late leveler for Mukura Victory Sports who travelled to Kigali to hold Police FC to a pulsating 1-1 draw at Kigali Pele Stadium on Sunday.
Mukura started the game looking the more ambitious side before Police began chasing the visitors down to keep balance.
The first clear chance of the afternoon fell to Mukura's Aboubakar after Elie Tatou had done considerable damage on the right flank by going past his marker. He passed the ball to Aboubakar who blasted it off target from close range with goalkeeper Onesime Rukundo at his mercy in the 15th minute.
Police FC were unconvincing in attack as Didier Mugisha looked very isolated upfront while Abedi Bigirimana, who was supposed to provide the arsenals for him, also looked lost.
Mukura had another chance in the 25th minute as Elie Tatou was brought down around the Police penalty box. He elected himself and hit a superb effort which was going to the roof of the net before goalkeeper Rukundo tipped it away.
Djibrine Aboubakar Akuki held his fort in the middle of the pitch for Police as he served as the fulcrum of the side with some decent passes.
He won most of the balls in the middle but Alex Ngirimana and Soter Kayumba always stayed on alert to stop any threatening attack from the home side.
The first half ended with the goalless although Mukura looked to be the better side.
Mukura went to sleep early on in the second half and allowed Police to dictate the pace of the game.
The law enforcers scored with their first attack of the second half as unmarked Mugisha found space inside the Huye-based side’s penalty box to bundle home in the 58th minute.
The goal reawakened Mukura whose coach Lofti Afahmia made four changes bringing on Samuel Pimpong, Christophe Bukuru, Emmanuel Nsabimana and Fiston Nkinzingabo. And it worked to perfection as the phase of the game changed.
Pimpong was particularly a delight to watch on the right side of attack as he mesmerized the Police defenders anytime he had the ball.
Mukura's incessant pressure paid off in the 86th minute as Kubwimana scored the equalizer with a fantastic strike, his third goal so far this season.
The final four minutes saw both teams defending gallantly as the referee blew his whistle for the end of the game.