SaturdayAPR FC vs AS Kigali 3:30pmBugesera vs KireheAmagaju vs MusanzePolice FC vs Sunrise

SundayEtincelles vs Marines 3:30pmRayon Sports vs PepiniereGicumbi vs Mukura

AS Kigali head coach Eric Nshimiyimana has urged his players to build on the recent winning mentality when they take on APR FC in the national football league on Saturday at Kigali Regional Stadium.

The City of Kigali-sponsored side has collected ten points from 15 games. Nshimiyimana says his players must not take their feet off the pedal against the defending champions.

AS Kigali are in third place in the league table with 23 points, four behind second-placed APR, who have not lost any game. Rayon Sports, who are due to host bottom side Pepiniere on Sunday, lead the table with 29 points after eleven rounds of matches.

Looking ahead to the match, Nshimiyimana said, "We are not on top of our game yet but we are near the top and we need to close the gap. As always, it is going to be tough against the defending champions whom we don’t have a good record playing against.”

"We have done well in the last five matches, (three wins, a draw and loss) but it’s always difficult against APR, so we can’t afford to take our foot off the pedal,” noted the former Amavubi player and coach.

Meanwhile, APR’s Jimmy Mulisa, who played alongside Nshimiyimana for APR and Amavubi, admitted that, "AS Kigali are a very good side with a good coach and the winner will need the smallest of details.”

"It will be a difficult but balanced game because both teams are in good shape and have done well so far,” noted Mulisa, adding that, "Such games are decided by the smallest of details.”

Elsewhere, fourth-placed Police FC, with 21 points, will be seeking to bounce back from last week’s 1-2 defeat against SC kiyovu when they take on Sunrise FC at Kicukiro stadium. Sunrise beat Gicumbi 2-0 to jump to seventh with 16 points.

At Nyamata ground, Vincent Mashami’s Bugesera FC in sixth place on 18 points will host 12th-placed Kirehe FC, bidding to stay unbeaten at home this season while Musanze will be away to Amagaju in Nyamagabe.

On Sunday, table leaders Rayon Sports will host bottom-placed Pepiniere at Kigali Regional Stadium; although it remains to be seen whether the latter will honor the fixture having ‘officially pulled’ out of the national league last week.

Rubavu residents will witness the first derby of the season between Etincelles at Umuganda Stadium.

Meanwhile, Gicumbi will be using their home ground for the first time this season when they host Mukura Victory Sports at Stade de Gicumbi.

This follows Rwanda Football Federation (FERWAFA) decision to certify the ground five months after it was closed for renovation work.

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