Azam Rwanda

Premier League

Match-day 6

Thursday

AS Kigali         Vs    Sunrise

Bugesera       Vs    Gicumbi

Musanze        Vs    Amagaju

Sometimes, the international break can be a relief. When form is poor and a team is struggling for results, a pause can allow time for the coach to rethink and plan a way out of a slump.

That is the situation for AS Kigali coach Djuma Masudi whose side host Sunrise in a match-day 6 fixture of the 2018-19 Azam Rwanda Premier League on Thursday afternoon at Kigali Stadium.

The City of Kigali-sponsored side are winless in their first five games into the new season, having lost once and drawn four times. Masudi was not in charge of the club’s opener against Musanze FC on October 21, which ended in a 1-all draw at Kigali Stadium.

The Burundian tactician is optimistic that AS Kigali will return to their winning ways – starting with Sunrise today – considering that they are fresh from a three-week international break and have since been rigorously training and strategising on what could be done to turn their fortunes around.

"I have not had the best start to life at AS Kigali, but we are working hard together to find a way out. The three weeks of international break gave us time to regroup, assess our performance, and figure out what was missing. The Sunrise game should mark a fresh start for us,” said Masudi.

The former Rayon Sports and Simba SC trainer added that, "A victory on Thursday (today) would boost the morale of players and mood of the team, that’s what we are going for – and we will fight with everything we got to make it happen.”

Masudi was appointed as AS Kigali coach on October 20, and was tasked to deliver success to the club immediately following a four-year trophy-less stint with Eric Nshiyimimana. The latter – jobless at the moment – parted company with the club on mutual agreement on October 3.

After five match rounds, the 2013 Peace Cup winners are in tenth place, a whopping 11 points adrift of table leaders APR who face second-placed Mukura on Saturday.

Champions APR have won each of their first five games, while Mukura have won four and drawn one.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw