Rayon beat Pepiniere to go 5 points clear on the top

Sunday Etincelles 2-1 MarinesRayon Sports 3-1 PepiniereGicumbi 1-0 Mukura VS SaturdayAPR 0-1 AS KigaliBugesera 0-0 Kirehe FCAmagaju FC 1-0 MusanzePolice FC 2-1 Sunrise FC FridaySC Kiyovu 1-2 Espoir Rayon sports are favourites to win the national league title, striker Shassir Nahimana has said. The striker made the remarks after helping Rayon Sports thrash Pepiniere 3-1 on Sunday at Kigali Regional Stadium. The win ensured that the Blues opened up a five-point lead over second placed APR FC. However, he warned that only hard work and consistency will help the Blues achieve that target. The league leaders struggled to get their hold on the game against the bottom-placed side but when they got the breakthrough nine minutes into the second half, they went on to register their tenth win of the season to open a five-point lead over reigning champions APR after match day 12. The win came courtesy of a brace from Malian striker Moussa Camara in the 54th and 59th minute before league top scorer Shassir Nahimana added his name on the score sheet in the 86th minute for his 11th goal of the season while Vincent Habamahoro scored for visitors in the 90th minute. Rayon Sports remain the only unbeaten side in the league after 12 rounds of matches played this season. Djuma Masudi’s team have amassed 32 points, five points ahead of rivals APR, who lost for the first time this season against AS Kigali 0-1 on Friday. Pepiniere remain bottom with one point. Nahimana, who joined the seven-time league champions at the start of this season from Burundian side Vital’O, insisted that Rayon Sports can go on to win the league. “My major goal this season is to help Rayon Sports win the league title and possibly win other competitions with them. That is why I came here, to win trophies,” stated the Burundi international. Nahimana added: “It has been a great start at a personal level after scoring 11 goals in 12 matches, I am very happy that even people are endorsing my development as a footballer, it’s a big inspiration but we need to work hard for the rest of the season because we haven’t won anything yet.” Etincelles wins Rubavu derby Elsewhere, Etincelles won the first Rubavu derby of the season coming from behind to beat archrivals Marines FC 2-1 at Umuganda Stadium. New signing Jimmy Mbaraga put the visitors in the lead after 32 minutes, but Emmanuel Ruremesha’s team recovered with goals through Claude Saibad Mumbele in the 39th minute and Guillain Graswood Mombonda in the 42nd minute. This propelled Etincelles to eighth spot with 16 points while Marines remain in 14th place with 11 points, four above the relegation zone. Meanwhile, Gicumbi won the first match played at their newly renovated Stade de Gicumbi as they registered a 1-0 win over visitors Mukura Victory Sports. The lone goal was scored by 19-year-old forward Patrick Ntijyinama in the 79th minute. Gicumbi FC remains in 15th place with seven points. Pepiniere coach Jean Baptiste Kayiranga APR’s unbeaten run put to a halt On Saturday, AS Kigali ended APR’s unbeaten run following a 1-0 win at Kigali Regional Stadium. Janvier Cyubahiro netted the only goal of the game in the 30th minute. AS Kigali remain in third place with 26 points but went within a point behind second-placed APR. Police FC edged Sunrise FC 2-1 at Kicukiro stadium with striker Dany Usengimana grabbing a double to take his goal tally to ten goals scored this season while Alexis Orotomel netted the consolation goal in the 76th minute. Police improved to fourth spot with 24 points while Sunrise remains 7th with 16 points. editorial@newtimes.co.rw