Desire Mugisha netted a 77th minute winner as Kiyovu Sports Club came from behind to defeat cross-town rivals AS Kigali 2-1 on Wednesday, August 21, in a rescheduled Rwanda Premier League week 1 encounter. It was a game full of action as Kiyovu SC showed their might to secure a hard-fought 2-1 victory. The game started on a bright note with each of the teams trying to play attacking football. Kiyovu Sports had the first chance of the game in the fourth minute as winger Sharif Bayo latched onto a through ball from Hakim Tuyisenge but his effort went wide. AS Kigali broke loose on two occasions with Bosco Kayitaba and Osee Iyabivuze. The latter dived under no contact in the 13th minute and was booked referee Patience Rulisa. The Citizens kept pushing to break the deadlock as they began to pin Kiyovu into their own half. Marc Nkubimana played a delightful ball to striker Hussein Shabani who released the ball back to him as he dashed into the box. Nkubimana hit a fine cross which Shabani flicked into the net with his head for the opener in the 16th minute. It was all AS Kigali as they missed two glorious chances through Hussein before they were punished by Kiyovu. The Green Baggies had a corner kick which resulted in a goal mouth melee after Hakim Tuyisenge, who was lurking in the AS Kigali 18-yard box, poked the ball beyond goalkeeper Adolphe Hakizimana to level the scores in the 43rd minute. Both teams head into halftime break tied at 1-1though AS Kigali had created more chances. Kiyovu started the second half with much urgency as they decided to hold on to the ball. Dennis Nsabimana could have made it 2-1 for the Green Baggies in the 50th minute after he dribbled past three AS Kigali defenders. His final delivery lacked the needed precision as it went off target. Karim Nizigiyimana was having a superb afternoon on the right side of the Kiyovu defense as his attacking runs caused problems for AS Kigali. He retrieved a ball in his own half in the 60th minute and went on a solo run but his strike just outside the box sailed over the cross bar to the relief of the AS Kigali fans. AS Kigali seemed to have relaxed as Kiyovu piled more pressure and dictated the pace of the game. Hakizimana fumbled with a harmless free kick just outside the box. He spilled the ball for an unmarked Desire Mugisha to fire into the net in the 77th minute to make it 2-1 for Kiyovu. There were six minutes of temporal hold up after the goal as AS Kigali players argued with the referee that goal scorer Mugisha was offside. After consultation with his assistant, who was close to the scene, the goal stood. AS Kigali pushed more men forward in a push for the equalizer but the Kiyovu’s back four were resolute as they thwarted most of their effort. The fourth match official added 10 minutes of injury time after the 90 minute had elapsed but Kiyovu stood on their grounds with goalkeeper Djihad Nzeyurwanda making series of excellent saves as they held on to bag their first three point of the campaign.
