Saturday

Last 16: Second LegRayon Sports vs Musanze FC (2-1) 3:30pmAS Kigali vs Mukura (2-0)SC Kiyovu vs Marines FC (0-1)Bugesera vs AS Muhanga (0-1)Amagaju vs La Jeunesse (2-0)Gicumbi vs Police FC (0-2)APR FC vs Sunrise FC (0-0)

SundayEspoir vs Etincelles (1-1)

With their archrivals Rayon Sports poised to win the league title, APR FC coach Jimmy Mulisa has admitted that the Peace Cup presents the best chance for his team to end the season with some silverware.

Rayon Sports need just three more points from the last five matches to dethrone APR as league champions. It leaves the Peace Cup as APR’s only hope for a trophy in what has been a below par season.

The military side, who lost to Rayon Sports 1-0 in last year’s finals, host Sunrise FC in the last 16 second leg hoping to win and progress to the quarter-finals – the first leg ended goalless on Wednesday in Nyagatare.

"APR are a big team which must win trophies every season, which is why we must give our best and try to win the game on Saturday in order to qualify to the next stage. The Peace Cup is a very important competition for APR. I always tell the players that APR is team for winning trophies,” said Mulisa.

It will be a heartbreak for APR fans if they are knocked out of the competition that would guarantee them a place in next year’s CAF Confederation Cup. The only other way they can represent the country is by finishing second in the league and Rayon go on to win a league and cup double.

Sunrise FC head coach, Andre Casa Mbungo said, "We are happy with the first leg result despite having not prepared well because the players had threatened to play until they got their salary and bonus arrears.”

"We expect the second leg to be even tougher because we’ll be playing away from home, but I think we can beat APR and progress to the next round,” noted Mbungo, a two-time Peace Cup winner with AS Kigali in 2012 and Police FC in 2015.

Defending champions Rayon Sports hold a 2-1 advantage against Musanze FC from the first leg – the second leg will be played at Kicukiro Stadium, while the 2015 winners; Police FC will visit Gicumbi FC after winning the first leg 2-0.

Aloys Kanamugire’s struggling SC Kiyovu, who lost 1-0 away to Marines FC will host the second leg at Mumena Stadium seeking to overturn the first leg deficit and qualify to the last eight.

AS Kigali, title winners in 2013, won 2-0 in the first leg against Mukura Victory Sports and will be hoping to complete the job at Kigali Stadium.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw