Sunday
AS Kigali Vs Rayon 15:30
RAYON Sports centre-back and team captain Thierry Manzi is optimistic about his club’s chances for the Azam Rwanda Premier League title as the race reaches critical stage.
The former Isonga and Marines defender said, after Thursday’s 1-0 victory over SC Kiyovu, that "it is very much possible to win the title,” but his teammates should understand that there is no margin of error and should approach every game as a must-win.
Ghana-born striker Michael Sarpong netted the lone goal of the game in the 55th minute following a wonderful cross from midfielder Djabel Manishimwe.
"We are training hard and trying to collect as many points as possible in our remaining fixtures. The target is to win all of them, but we all know that’s not how football works – at times things don’t work out well,” said Manzi in a post-match interview.
With five match rounds to go, the ‘Blues’ are in contention with leaders and defending champions APR who are four points clear at the top.
"We are in close contention with APR, so there is no margin of error at this particular stage. We need to earn maximum points from every game, and hope that they stumble somewhere along the way,” he added.
"We are optimistic about our chances, and we will fight till the final game”.
Manzi who made his mark during the 2015/16 season when Rayon won the Peace Cup title, played a crucial role during the following season as the Blues, under Djuma Masudi, dethroned APR to clinch their eight league title.
He was also instrumental in his team’s stunning campaign to quarter-finals of the 2018 CAF Confederation Cup.
He further acknowledged that: "We have a game against APR among our remaining matches, and its result will have a big say on where the title goes.”
With both sides fighting to prove beyond doubt that they serious title contenders, APR host Sunrise FC at Kigali Stadium on Saturday afternoon, a day before rivals Rayon Sports go head-to-head with AS Kigali at the same arena.
Rayon lie second on the 16-team table with 47 points, four behind APR. Mukura are third with 44 points, while SC Kiyovu complete top four with 35 points.
editor@newtimesrwanda.com