Striker Muhadjiri Hakizimana has maintained his place in Rwanda squad which will face Guinea next month.
Rwanda coach Vincent Mashami has summoned Rayon Sport duo of goalkeeper Abouba Bashunga and midfielder Djabel Manishimwe in the 27-man squad to face Guinea away and home next month.
After a 2-1 loss to Cote d’Ivoire in Kigali mid this month, the Amavubi will play away to Guinea on October 12 at Stade du 28 Septembre in Conakry, before facing the same side in Kigali four days later.
Mashami summoned 27 players who will join camp on Sunday, September 30 at La Palisse Hotel in Nyamata after the climax of the Agaciro Football Championship.
Naming the squad on Wednesday afternoon, Mashami said, “We have maintained the majority of the players who faced Cote d’Ivoire and we have belief in the summoned players that we can try to accomplish our mission of picking pick positive results in our remaining matches,”
“We did our best against Cote d’Ivoire, played good football but lost the game due to our individual mistakes. We conceded that game and we are moving ahead with positives picked from that game which we believe will help us to prepare well for our next matches,”
The former APR FC and Bugesera Fc tactician further added, “We are still confident despite losing so far six points in this qualifying campaign, we need to work hard and win our remaining matches. It sounds impossible and a tough mountain to climb but we are not losing hope and focus,”
“We need to double our efforts and fight until the last minute of each game; it’s possible to turn around our performances in this qualifying campaign,”
“We are going to Guinea with a mission to win the encounter, they are a better team which will be playing in their own backyard but we will be aiming to secure a positive result, both away and home,” added Mashami.
Among the summoned players, seven ply their trade outside Rwanda while the remaining players play for domestic teams.
Goalkeeper Abouba Bashunga and midfielder Djabel Manishimwe are new players summoned after missing the previous qualifying match against Cote d’Ivoire.
Striker Jacques Tuyisenge who plays for Kenyan champions Gor Mahia returns to the squad after missing the last qualifying game against Cote d’Ivoire due to an ankle injury.
Major omissions include professional duo of centre back Faustin Usengimana (Khitan Sports, Kuwait) and Patrick Sibomana (FC Shakhtyor, Belarus).
The team will be holding their training sessions at Stade Amahoro effective from Monday until October 8, 2018 when they will be departing for Conakry.
Amavubi are in Group H with the Ivorians, Republic of Central Africa and Guinea Conakry.
Guinea lead the group standings unbeaten with six points, three points ahead of joint second and third placed teams Cote d’Ivoire and Central Africa Republic. Rwanda is placed bottom of the standings with no point after two match days.
Rwanda’s 27-man Provisional Squad to face Guinea
Goalkeepers: Kwizera Olivier (Free State Stars, South Africa), Kimenyi Yves (APR FC), Bashunga Abouba (Rayon Sports FC) and Rwabugiri Omar (Mukura VS)
Defenders: Nirisarike Salomon (AFC Tubize, Belgium), Rwatubyaye Abdoul (Rayon Sports FC), Rugwiro Herve (APR FC), Manzi Thierry (Rayon Sports FC), Fitina Ombolenga (APR FC), Imanishimwe Emmanuel (APR FC), Eric Rutanga (Rayon Sports FC) and Rusheshangoga Michel (APR FC).
Midfielders: Mugiraneza Jean Baptiste (APR FC), Mukunzi Yannick (Rayon Sports FC), Ngendahimana Eric (Police FC), Muhire Kevin (Rayon Sports FC), Bizimana Djihad (Waasland-Beveren, Belgium), Haruna Niyonzima (SC Simba, Tanzania), Manishimwe Djabel (Rayon Sports FC), Buteera Andrew (APR FC), Niyonzima Ally (AS Kigali), Iranzi Jean Claude (APR FC) and Ciza Hussein (Mukura VS)
Forwards: Kagere Meddie (SC Simba, Tanzania), Tuyisenge Jacques (Gor Mahia, Kenya), Hakizimana Muhadjiri (APR FC) and Usengimana Dany (Tersana SC, Egypt).
2019 AFCON Qualifiers
Group H Scheduled Matches
12 October 2018
Guinea v Rwanda (Stade du 28 Septembre, Conakry)
Ivory Coast v Central African Republic (Stade Bouaké, Bouaké)
16 October 2018
Rwanda v Guinea (Stade Régional Nyamirambo, Kigali)
Central African Republic v Ivory Coast (Barthélemy Boganda Stadium, Bangui)
