Usengimana strike fires Rayon to league summit

MondaySunrise 2-3 Rayon Sports WednesdayGicumbi Vs APR (Gicumbi Stadium) Rwanda international central defender, Faustin Usengimana netted the winning goal for Rayon Sports against Sunrise in a 3-2 thriller that brought together the defending champions with the Nyagatare side. This automatically sent the defending champions to the top of the league as curtains fall on the first round of the senior league. Sunrise came from behind to hold Rayon Sports 2-2 before Usengimana netted the winner in the 70th minute, off a corner kick from Eric Rutanga. Burundi international forward Bonfils Caleb Bimenyimana scored a brace for Rayon Sports in the first half before Sunrise pulled two back, only for the hosts to be upset by Usengimana’s strike. Bimenyimana scored the opening goal in the 15th minute with wonderful cross from Cameroonian striker Chris Mbondi and made it two for the ‘Blues’ in the 41st minute through an Ismaila Diarra assist. Alex Ortomal pulled one back for the home side in the 47th minute with nice pass from Ali Sova Musa who had eliminated Rayon Sports midfielder François Master Mugisha while Osée Iyabivuze netted the second goal for Alphose Gatera’s side in the 50th minute with Ally Sserumogo’s assist. After the second goal, Sunrise dominated game but only to be surprised by Usengimana’s strike. Rayon will earn Rwf10m from league sponsors Azam TV for being the top team at the end of the first round of the league. Defending champions, Rayon Sports finished the first round with 30 points, one ahead of AS Kigali who is sitting on second position and had lead the pack for much of the campaign. SC Kiyovu are third with 28 points while sixteen league champions APR who have a game against Gicumbi on Wednesday is fourth with 25 points. A win against Gicumbi will not change anything on the table for the army side since it will only bring them at level points with Kiyovu but the latter enjoy a head-to-head advantage having beaten APR 2-0 earlier in the campaign. editorial@newtimes.co.rw