Amavubi team players seen in drills under the tutelage of Amavubi head coach Antoine Hey
Rwanda will face Ethiopia in a two-legged play-off for the final slot in the 2018 Morocco CHAN on November 5 and 12, 2017 respectively.
The development was confirmed on Saturday by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
With the tournament’s initial hosts Kenya having been stripped off the rights, Egypt were handed their position but the North Africans declined the offer.
CAF gave back the opportunity to East Africa to be contested between Ethiopia and Rwanda with the winner joining Uganda and Sudan as the region’s representatives at the finals.
The Rwanda Football Federation (FERWAFA) president Nzamwita Vincent told KT Sports, “We received the official communication on Saturday from CAF informing us about the dates of the two matches. The team is starting residential camp on Sunday.”
Commenting about the two-legged game against Ethiopia, the Amavubi head coach Antoine Hey said, “We are happy about this chance and we appreciate the fair play by CAF. This is a chance that we should take and trust that we all unite for these two matches.”
According to the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Rwanda plays away to Ethiopia on November 5 in Addis Ababa before hosting the Walya Antelopes in Kigali on November 12, 2017.
The winner over the two legs will join Uganda and Sudan as representatives of the CECAFA at the next year’s African Nations Championship.
In August, Rwanda missed out of the final place as they lost to Uganda Cranes 2-3 on goal aggregate despite winning the home return leg 2-0.
Ethiopia was also bundled out by Sudan 2-1 on aggregate, leaving Uganda and hosts Kenya to advance as representatives for Central East Zone.
Rwanda Men’s senior football team, Amavubi joins camp on Sunday evening to begin preparations of the two-legged tie against Ethiopia.
The training camp is set to be held at La Palisse Hotel in Nyandungu while training sessions are to be set at Amahoro Stadium from October 30 to November 3 under the tutelage of head coach Antoine Hey.
Like Kenya, Egypt has never graced the biennial championship played strictly by home-based professionals since its inception in 2009.
Rwanda reached the quarter final round of the 2016 CHAN tournament where they lost to eventual winners DR Congo following their back to back wins.
