Primus National League: Five things that have stood out so far

A lot has stood out throughout the past two weeks as the Primus National League continues to provide a number of surprises. The league is being played under strict covid-19 guidelines with clubs going head to head in venues behind closed doors. The top two in each group, meaning eight from four groups, will play their own league while the last two teams in each group, eight last teams from four groups, will also play their own league. The club with the most points in the top eight will be crowned champions while the last two clubs in the last eight teams’ league will be relegated. Times Sport looks at five key points that stood out in the league so far. APR’s unbeaten run continues APR FC has continued from where they left off last season by winning every match. The army side is proving doubters wrong that they didn’t end the season unbeaten by chance as they remain undefeated after winning five out of their last five league games for the 2020-21 season. The club now sits top of Group A table with 15 points and has already qualified in the next stage alongside newcomers Gorilla FC who are second with nine points. Shaban Hussein is a goal machine! He may have failed to inspire AS Kigali to the CAF Confederations Cup group stages this season but striker Shaban Hussein Tchabalala continues to show he is even hungrier for more goals in front of opponents’ nets, having found the back of the net five times in his last five appearances in the league. The Burundian averages at least a goal every game and remains the leading league top scorer. Mukura facing relegation Sunday’s home defeat to Marines FC saw Mukura VS at the bottom of Group D with just two points after all six group games, leaving the Huye-based club praying for a miracle to avoid relegation. Mukura, who finished fourth last season, ended the group stage without a win, having managed two draws after six games. Espoir FC, Gorilla FC are big surprises Espoir FC is among the clubs most hit by covid-19, after facing financial troubles that saw players’ wages suspended since December until the league was given green light to resume in April. Some players ended up doing other business to survive. Many thought that the club’s financial crisis would easily push them to the second division but the current form on the pitch is proving the opposite, having collected 10 points from six games, three points behind Group D table leaders Marines FC. With the current form, the club is nowhere near the relegation zone and rather makes the cut among the eight clubs expected to play the title-deciding league. Another surprise so far is an early qualification of newcomers Gorilla FC who progressed to the next stage after just four match days. The club was promoted to the first division having been crowned champions of the second division league and when club president, Hadji Mudaheranwa expressed his desire to challenge for the league title, many football fans thought he was joking. The Group B puzzle After five match days, no Group B team has secured qualification to the next stage yet and any club can qualify ahead of matchday six fixtures. Rayon Sports are top of the table with eight points, one ahead of second-placed Kiyovu SC and Gasogi United while Rutsiro FC sit bottom with five points. Any mistake will cost any club should they lose a game. Kiyovu has started to regain its form and hope for a future as they settle for life under new head coach Etienne Ndayiragije. Rayon Sports are also pushing for a league title having signed Congolese midfielder Heritier Luvumbu and he has made an immediate impact by providing assists in the club’s last three games.