APR look to extend lead as they take on Gicumbi

TKNFL FIXTURES Sunday Gicumbi vs APR Espoir vs Musanze Amagaju vs SC Kiyovu Esperance vs Mukura Marines vs Etincelles League leaders APR FC will be looking to extend their unbeaten run in the Turbo King National Football League since the start of the year when they visit lowly Gicumbi FC on Sunday. The military side is chasing a record extending 14th league crown. APR leads the table with 40 points, three ahead of defending champions Rayon Sports. And with head coach Andreas Spier quitting his job earlier in the week; all eyes will be on acting (head) coach Vincent Mashami to snatch maximum points against a stubborn Gicumbi side, which are handled by former Rayon Sports and Kiyovu coach Jean Baptiste Kayiranga. Mashami was in charge when APR beat third-placed Police 1-0 last week to push the cops to 4th position. For Mashami to win trust in his employers; he has to maintain the winning run that has seen the club lose just one in 17 league matches played. Speaking to Saturday Sport, Mashami said, “The mission of the club is to win every match in order to lift the league cup. We have a set of players ready for the task, we try to take it game by game and our focus now on is Sunday’s match against Gicumbi.” “The team is well prepared to win,” added Mashami, who is expected to line up Yannick Mukunzi in the midfield to stand in for suspended Andrew Buteera. For Kayiranga, a loss against APR would complicate his chances of remaining in the top division league and that’s why he says there is no room for errors against the military side. “We respect APR because they are a strong team with talented players. We will try to put on a good performance and try to win the game. We need a win to move into (safer) positions,” noted the former Amavubi midfielder. Elsewhere, Rusizi-based Espoir will be gunning for maximum points against Musanze as Emmanuel Ruremsha’s team maintain pressure on the front two, APR and Rayon Sports. His team may be punching above their weight but Ruremesha should be in contention for the coach of the year award and his team, for the team of the year. Espoir, which boasts of veteran players like Said Abedi Makasi, Elias Ntaganda, Aimable Rucogoza, Andre Lomami, among others, sits in third position with 32 points, eight points behind leaders APR, while their opponents Musanze, who started the season very strongly, are seventh with 27 points. Ruremesha said there will be no room for mistakes at home. “We want victory and we are settling for nothing less than that.” Sixth-placed SC Kiyovu, after their 1-1 draw against Espoir last weekend, travel to Nyamagabe for a date with second from bottom side Amagaju FC, while Cedric Kaze’s Mukura, in ninth place, will play way to bottom side Esperance at Mumena stadium. However, the game of the weekend will be the Western Province derby between archrivals Marines and Etincelles at Umuganda stadium, which is the home for both teams. Marines FC are 12th in the 14-team table standing with 10 points, level with Amagaju and Esperance, while Etincelles are eighth with 21 points in 17 matches. Marines have a game in hand against AS Kigali, which will be played on Thursday.