Despite spending the better part of the campaign in the bottom two, Gicumbi FC head coach Godfroid Okoko (pictured) says he is confident his side can still avoid relegation from the national football league.

The Gicumbi-based side are second from bottom in the table standing with 15 points, four behind 14th-placed Marines FC with ten matches remaining. Pepiniere FC are bottom with 11 points and already staring at the second division.

In their last match, Gicumbi FC drew goalless against fourth-placed AS Kigali denying Eric Nshimiyimana’s team, the opportunity to jump to the second place.

Gicumbi hired Okoko from Mukura Victory Sports in February and gave him a six-month contract as the club had run out of patience with the underperforming Hussein Baraka.  

Okoko says they are not worried because they still have games, and that his team are determined to fight on until the last day of the season when they face  Pepiniere.

"It’s too early to say Gicumbi FC are doomed and already relegated as some are suggesting because, for now, nobody knows how the league will end. We still have ten matches to play, who says other teams such as Marines, Kiyovu and Amagaju won’t lose some games?” Okoko asked in phone interview.

He further noted that, "There are five or six teams in relegation fight, and Gicumbi is just among them, so the burden is on us to do what we know we need to do to stay in the national league, which I believe we can do.”

Okoko has too much on his plate if Gicumbi are to retain their status in the topflight division for another season, because, all season, the club has won just three of their 21 matches played.

In their next game, Gicumbi face Marines FC, a side just above them in the league table, at Umuganda Stadium in Rubavu before hosting run away champions Rayon Sports.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw