Niyonzima fires Rayon past Muhazi United, APR held by Police FC

Two goals from midfielder Olivier Niyonzima did the trick for Rayon Sports who defeated a stubborn Muhazi United side 2-1 in a highly competitive Rwanda Premier League game at Kigali Pele Stadium on Wednesday, December 4. Niyonzima, who rejoined Rayon Sports in June, was back to Ribertinho’s starting 11 after two months working on his fitness and he seized the opportunity to score a brace that extended Rayon’s unbeaten run to 11 matches. He opened the scoring in the 11th minute, heading home a free kick from Omborenga Fitina’s cross before doubling the lead in the 26th minute with another superb header, burying a corner from Muhire after he was left unmarked in the Muhazi penalty box. The Blues have now moved nine points clear at the top and they remain unbeaten in their last 11 league games. Robertinho’s side had not conceded a goal in their previous nine games until Nicholas Kagaba scored what was a consolation goal for the visitors to bring Khadime Ndiaye’s clean sheet run to an end. Rayon have now opened a nine-point lead at the top of the table before facing arch rivals APR FC on Saturday, December 7 at Amahoro Stadium. APR, Police share spoils, Mashami slams referees Police FC and APR FC settled for a 1-1 draw in crunch rescheduled league clash at Kigali Pele Stadium. Vincent Mashami’s Police FC have had an unimpressive run, winning just once in their last four league games while APR FC had shown signs of recovery after a slow start to the season. Burundian midfielder Abedi Bigirimana opened the scoring in the 10th minute before Aliou Souane headed home an equalizer for the army side in the 23rd minute. APR were awarded a penalty in the 44th minute after Bigirimana pushed Lamine Bah in the box only for Mamadou Sy to woefully shoot the ball into the waiting hands of Goalkeeper Onesime Rukundo. The result saw Police FC and APR FC remain in the 4th and 5th places respectively. It is a result that left Police head coach Vincent Mashami unimpressed by a series of decisions made by match officials especially when centre referee Jean Paul Ngabonziza awarded a penalty to APR FC. “I think it was a soft penalty,” claimed Mashami. The match took place after the league body rejected APR’s request to postpone it to a later date for them to prepare for Saturday’s derby against Rayon Sports at Amahoro Stadium. The draw saw them stay in fourth and fifth places on the table standings.