TodayIsonga vs Rayon SportEtincelles vs MukuraEspoir vs La JeunesseSundayKiyovu vs APRMuhanga vs PoliceMusanze vs MarineAmagaju vs AS KigaliAfter a three-week break to allow the national team engage in the 2012 Cecafa Tusker Challenge Cup in Kampala, Uganda, the national football league returns this weekend.The pick of the weekend is Sunday’s clash between table leaders SC Kiyovu and the champions APF FC at Stade de Kigali in Nyamirambo, a game which not only puts Kiyovu’s title credentials on test but also APR’s to retain the crown.The former champions Kiyovu lead the league with 18 points, three ahead of APR in 5th position.In Saturday’s matches, struggling Etincelles with 2 points host Mukura, Espoir play against La Jeunesse, while youthful side Isonga FC host Rayon Sport. “In every competition, it’s important to win your home games and that’s what we will be looking for on Sunday,” SC Kiyovu head coach Jean Baptiste Kayiranga told Times Sport on Friday.“APR have been doing well against us but this time we need change it. It’s going be a tough game for both teams but I am confident we are in the right position to win and extend our lead at the top (of the table),” he added.Kiyovu will go into the Sunday match without some key player’s striker Olave Gahonzire, defender Alexis Ngirimana and Fiston Nyamugenda, both injured, while veteran striker Bokoto Labama is on suspention. APR’s coach Eric Nshimiyimana said that they need to win the game so that they can close on the table leaders.“Our target is to win and get three points. We need to close the gap between us and the leading team, we need three points more than them (Kiyovu), so we will go into the game determined to win,” said the former APR and Amavubi midfielder.APR will be without defender Ismail Nshutinamagara ‘Kodo’ due to the injury but Nshimiyimana is buoyant, “he will be a big loss for us because of his experience but we have other players, to do the job.”Desperate BluesOn Saturday Isonga hosts Rayon Sport at Stade de Kigali, Nyamirambo and Rayon’s assistant coach Ali Bizimungu says the Blues will be going for nothing but maximum points.“We need points if we’re going to close the gap between us and the leading teams to challenge for the title, so the match against Isonga is one we desperately need to win,” he said.Rayon, in 9th position with 9 points, will be favourites to take all points against Vincent Mashami’s young side that is finding the top teams difficult to play. The youthful side, which also acts as the U-17 national team is third from bottom with seven points.League tableTEAM PD W D L Pts Kiyovu 8 6 0 2 18AS Kigali 8 5 2 1 17La Jeunesse8 4 3 1 15Police 8 4 3 1 15APR 7 3 4 0 13Musanze 8 3 4 1 13Amagaju 8 3 1 4 11Espoir 8 3 1 4 10Rayon Sport7 3 0 4 91Mukura 8 2 2 4 8Muhanga 8 2 2 4 8Isonga 8 1 4 3 7Marines 8 1 2 5 5Etincelles 8 0 2 6 2The suspended players this weekend:Sibomana Hussein (Rayon) Bogota Kamana (Kiyovu)Amalu Bulenga (Musanze)Moses Kanamugire (La Jeunesse)Andre Lomami (La Jeunesse)Hamdan Bariyanga (APR)J. Baptiste Mukamba (Amagaju) Aboubakar Nshimiyimana (Police)Eric Nzitonda (Marines)
