Friday

Musanze vs Bugesera FC 3:30pmMarines FC vs Amagaju FC

Wednesday

Police FC 0-1 Sunrise FC

Sunrise FC head coach Sosthène ‘Lumumba’ Habimana has hailed his players after beating 10-man Police FC 1-0 in the Azam Rwanda Premier League on Wednesday at Kigali Regional Stadium.

A 78th minute penalty by former Etincelles FC and APR FC striker Arafat Bahame was enough to hand the Rwamagana-based side maximum points against Police FC, who had goalkeeper Marcel Nzarora sent off for hauling down Bahame.

And because by the time Nzarora was sent off Police coach Andre Casa Mbubgo had already used all three substitutions saw central defender Gabriel Mugabo assume goalkeeping responsibilities and had no chance stopping Bahame from scoring from the spot.

And Police FC were forced to play the last ten minutes with nine players after Isaie Songa, their lone striker, limped off with a leg injury.

"It was a very close game, with both teams attacking from the beginning, Police are a very good team, but we stuck to our game plan, we made good pressing and I think it is a deserved win for us,” Habimana, formerly Rayon Sports assistant coach, said after the match.

Habimana added, "I think we have shown good character and we deserved three points today, I am thankful to my players for the way they approached the game and the discipline their showed. We didn’t play well in the first half with Police dominating the game, but I am happy with the way my players reacted in the second half.”

The win took Sunrise to 8th place on the table with 30 points, two behind sixth-placed Police FC, who have only won two of their last ten matches, a run that leaves head coach Andre Casa Mbungo wondering where and when the next win will come from.

And Mbugo admitted, "Overall, we played poorly, Sunrise were more determined and showed more hunger to win than us, so they deserved the win. We have to look back on the mistakes we have made today and correct them ahead of the next matches; we need to start getting points.”

"It is always bad to lose points week after week but we have to look forward to the next games because we have to get points to stay in a good position,” he added.

After match day 21, played on Tuesday and Wednesday, APR FC, who despite a humiliated 4-0 loss at the hands of Rayon Sports, remain top of the table with 46 points, a point ahead of the latter.

Mukura Victory Sports, who edged Gicumbi FC 3-0, are in third with 38 points and tied with SC Kiyovu on points but the Huye-based side have a better goal difference. Hussein Cyiza Mugabo, Muhadjiri Hakizimana and Yusuf Habimana netted for Godfroid Okoko’s team.

AS Kigali managed a slim 1-0 win over SC Kiyovu courtesy of Rodriguez Murengezi’s strike to remain fifth on the table with 37 points, while SC Kiyovu dropped to fourth.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw