Rwanda’s Amavubi team skipper Jacques Tuyisenge scored a brace as Rwanda was held to a 2-all draw by Central African Republic on Sunday at Stade Huye
Rwanda and Central African Republic played to a 2-all draw in their 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying game staged at Stade Huye in Huye District, Southern Province of Rwanda on Sunday.
In another Group H encounter played on Sunday night, Guinea Conakry played to a 1-1 draw at the Stade du 28 Septembre in Conakry to book a place at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.
At Stade Huye, Rwanda started positively and opened the scoring in the tenth minute after Jacques Tuyisenge found the back of the net with a clinical finish.
CAR, though, fought back and managed to equalise just before the half hour mark courtesy of a strike from Habib Habibou.
CAR controlled the remainder of the half, but was unable to find another goal. Instead, Rwanda re-took the lead in first half injury time when Tuyisenge scored his second goal of the match to make it 2-1.
The half ended with the home side leading by a goal.
CAR came out firing at the start of the second half but their decision making and passing was poor in the final third which meant they squandered a lot of decent scoring opportunities.
Nonetheless, the visiting side persisted and was rewarded for their efforts with an equalising goal for the second time in the 95th minute thanks to a deadly finish from Geoffrey Kondogbia.
The result sees CAR up to five points from five matches in Group H and in third place, just behind Cote d’Ivoire who have eight points from five games.
In Conakry, the Syli Nationale who secured qualification before the match even kicked off, with the earlier result between Rwanda and Central Africa Republic (a 2-2 draw in Huye) ensuring they would finish in the top two regardless.
And the Elephants then claimed the same status – they are three points clear of third-placed CAR, but guaranteed to finish ahead of them on head-to-head results should the teams end level on points when the qualifiers wrap up in March next year.
The Elephants would have been hoping for revenge for the defeat they suffered at home to Syli Nationale in June last year, but ended up settling for a valuable point on the road instead.
Guinea tops the group with eleven points from five matches while Rwanda is bottom of the standings with two points from five matches.
Players who started on each side:
Amavubi: Kimenyi Yves, Fitina Ombolenga , Rwatubyaye Abdul,Manzi Thierry, Emmanuel Manishimwe, Ally Niyonzima, Buteera Andrew, Bizimana Djihad,Tuyisenge Jaques, Muhadjili Hakizimana, Meddy Kagere.
Les Fauves: Lembet Geoffrey Didace, Ngam Ngam St Cyr, Eloge Enzo Yamissi, Vivien Mabide, Foxi Kethevoama, Anzite Touadere,Bruce Nicaisse Zimbori, Fred Nimani, Geoffrey Kondogbia, Habibou Habib, Amos Christopher
2019 AFCON Qualifiers
Match Day Five Group H Results
Rwanda 2-2 Central African Republic
Guinea Conakry 1-1 Cote d’Ivoire
