We are still in race, insists AS Kigali’s Gasambungo

With just seven points separating league table-toppers Rayon Sports and seventh-placed SC Kiyovu FC halfway through the season, the race for 2013/14 national football league title could go right to the wire.With the likes of record 13-times champions APR in second and last season’s Peace Cup winners AS Kigali in third, all breathing down champions Rayon’s neck, the season is turning out to be the tightest in years.Of the four teams occupying the top four places, APR and Rayon have the more experience in the league because they have won it on more occasions than anyone else.However, both Police and AS Kigali are threatening to gatecrash this exclusive class.AS Kigali coach Andre ‘Casa’ Gasambungo, whose team has won the same number of matches (eight) as APR and are just one point behind them on the log and two behind Rayon, believes this could be the season for the City of Kigali side.AS Kigali, last year’s surprise Peace Cup winners and this season’s early pace-setters, have never won a league title.Less than a fortnight ago, AS Kigali were leading the pack before falling to third.After seeing his side beat SC Kiyovu 2-1 on Sunday, Gasambungo said: “We are happy for this win; Kiyovu are a very good team with probably the most experienced coach in the league, so to beat them is something we have to be proud of because it gives us more confidence going into the second round.”“I am happy that we are still in the title race at this stage, we are doing everything possible to stay close to the leaders,” he noted.AS Kigali opened the scoring on the 44th minute from a Rodriguez Murengezi header off a well-taken free-kick by Hamidou Ndayisaba. Mouhamed Mushimiyimana and Ndayisaba later combined well to set up Amini Muzerwa for the second five minutes after recess. SC Kiyovu got their consolation goal through Ugandan striker Julius Bakkabulindi.