Star striker Elijah Ani opened his goal account in the 2024/25 Rwanda Premier League campaign as Police FC defeated Muhazi United 3-0 at Kigali Pele Stadium on Monday, September 23. This was a bitter result for the visitors who dominated the game from the very beginning. They were, however, not clinical as Vincent Mashami’s men punished them using their chances to good use. Police FC opened the scores from their first attack of the game inside just two minutes, as winger Richard Kilongozi capitalised on Muhazi’s defensive mishap in their penalty box and fired the ball past goalkeeper Iniace Ebini for the opener. Yakubu Issah received the first yellow card of the game in the 16th minute after he elbowed Samson Babuwa who had beaten him to the ball. Muhazi started controlling the game in midfield with Nicholas Kagaba serving as the playmaker. Muhazi broke loose on the right but Joseph Karenzi was jittery as he was disposed of the ball in the 20th minute by Samuel Ndizeye. It was proving to be a battle between Babuwa and Issah Yakubu who were involved in a heated tension before the referee paused the game to caution them in the 25th minute. ALSO READ: CAF CC: Police FC will be ready for CS Constantine-Mashami Fred Muhoozi was beautifully played through by skipper Muhadjiri Hakizimana but his strike in the 30th minute was saved by goalkeeper Ebini. Muhazi United kept pressing in a push for an equaliser, and this left Abedi Bigirimana exposed in midfield as he struggled to cope with their pressing until he received a yellow card in the 36th minute for stumping Nicodeme’s chest in an aerial ball. The visitors were awarded a free kick from the foul but skipper Joseph Sackey’s shot hit the wall. Sackey, who was winning the majority of the aerial balls, had a penalty appeal rejected by referees after his header from a Russell Nicodeme corner hit Ndizeye’s hand in the 40th minute. It’s a decision that left players and their coach Emmanuel Ruremesha alike frustrated. Police FC brought more men back as they defended gallantly in the final five minutes until the teams headed into the halftime break. The second half saw Muhazi piling pressure on Police FC, but still failed to put the ball at the back of the net despite creating a host of decent chances. Aminu Mohammed picked the ball from the Police FC half and ran past three players in the 50th minute but his final delivery so poor that it sailed over the cross bar. Playing as an improvised centre back against Police FC, Sackey was very effective as he put the brakes on Elijah Ani and kept him at bay. Mashami brought on Didier Mugisha in the 60th minute for goal scorer Kilongozi who looked lost in the second half. Nicodeme had a goal bound strike tipped over the bar by goalkeeper Patient Niyongira in the 65th minute as he tried to ease pressure from Police FC. Mashami made his second substitution in the 71st minute as Allan Kateregga came in for Muhoozi. The home side was at the time looking lethargic as they could not run into vital areas in the Muhazi half. Ani missed a glorious chance inside the Muhazi United penalty box as he blasted a shot high into the sky in the 76th minute to the dismay of the fans. Police FC finally, against the run of play, scored their second goal in the 82nd minute through Abedi Bigirimana who beautifully connected to Ani’s after he had drifted wide in a quick counter attack. Then Ani, who was feeling more comfortable operating from the right wing, had his name on the scoresheet as his shot beat Serge Kabanda’s marker to make it 3-0 in the 84th minute. The final six minutes of the game saw Muhazi United still having the better share of possession. But Police had done the needful with as few as four chances they had in the second half. Rwamagana City-based club had the Lion’s share of possession but it was Police who took home all three points.
