Midfielder Amran Nshimiyimana seen against a Zanzibar during the Cecafa challenge tournament has maintained his place on the National Team for CHAN tournament in Morocco. Courtesy Photo
Rwanda has named their final 23-man squad which will represent the country at the fifth edition of the Africa Nations’ Championship (CHAN) scheduled to be held in Morocco from January 12th to February 4th, 2018.
The Amavubi technical team represented by assistant coach Vincent Mashami alongside goalkeeper’scoach Thomas Higiro revealed the final squad on Friday, December 29, 2017 at Rwanda Football Federation (FERWAFA) headquarters in Remera.
Mashami said, “Our main target is to reach the quarter final and from there everything will be possible for us to even reach the final,”
“We are going to Tunisia to prepare well for the tournament. Our first match in Morocco against Nigeria is key for us if we are to reach the last eight of the tournament,”
“We had good experience during the CECAFA Challenge Cup in Kenya, got a vital lesson and now we head to Tunisia to fully and further enhance our preparations. All in all, we will be ready for the opening game against Nigeria and other Group C encounters,” added Mashami.
Apart from Maxime Sekamana (APR Fc), Olivier Niyonzima (Rayon Sports) and Emmanuel Imanishimwe (APR Fc), the rest of their players who took part in the Cecafa Challenge Cup held this month in Kenya maintained their places on the national team for the continental tournament.
The new additionals include Bugesera striker Barnabe Mubumbyi, Police Fc left back Celestin Ndayishimiye and AS Kigali starlet Savio Nshuti Dominique.
The Amavubi team will hold their preparations in Tunisia from January 2-10, 2018 with expected arrival scheduled on New Year.
In Tunisia, they will play Sudan (January 6) and Algeria (January 10) in international friendlies as they gear up for the CHAN tournament.
Rwanda is placed in group C alongside Libya, Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea. Group C will be based in Tangier City for the tournament that will kick-off on January 12 to February 4, 2018.
Rwanda will open her Group C campaign against Nigeria at Grande Stade de Tanger on January 15, 2018 at 19:30.
Rwanda will then take on Equatorial Guinea on January 19 before concluding her group stage encounter against Libya on January 23, 2018.
The top two teams in Group C will proceed to the last eight.
The fifth edition of the tournament designed exclusively for footballers playing in their domestic leagues will be held from 13 January to 4 February 2018 in the Moroccan cities Casablanca, Marrakech, Tangier and Agadir.
Rwanda’s Final Squad:
Goalkeepers: Ndayishimiye Eric (Rayon Sports Fc), Nzarora Marcel (Police Fc) and Kimenyi Yves (APR Fc)
Defenders: Usengimana Faustin (Rayon Sports Fc), Manzi Thierry (Rayon Sports Fc), Kayumba Soter (AS Kigali), Rutanga Eric (Rayon Sports Fc), Iradukunda Eric (AS Kigali), Fitina Omborenga (APR Fc), Ndayishimiye Celestin (Police Fc), Rugwiro Herve (APR Fc) and Mbogo Ally (SC Kiyovu)
Midfielders: Mukunzi Yannick (Rayon Sports Fc), Bizimana Djihad (APR Fc), Nshimiyimana Amran (APR Fc), Niyonzima Ally (AS Kigali), Imanishimwe Djabel (Rayon Sports Fc), Hakizimana Muhadjiri (APR Fc), Nshuti Savio Dominique (AS Kigali)
Forwards: Nshuti Innocent (APR Fc), Mico Justin (Police Fc), Biramahire Abeddy (Police Fc) and Mubumbyi Barnabe (Bugesera Fc).
