RWANDA U23 men’s volleyball team will play the first international friendly match against Goma Volleyball Club today at Amahoro indoor stadium, starting at 3pm.

The match is to prepare the team ahead of the upcoming U23 African Volleyball Championships slated for November 5-13 in Sharm El Sheik, Egypt.

 "We are playing with Goma and we hope this game will help us to prepare our players ahead of the competition,” head coach Paul Bitok said.

The team will miss the service of their captain, Aimable Mutuyimana, who is in Uganda to sit for exams at the Kampala International University.

Japan-based Nelson Murangwa, who plays for Oita Miyoshi Weisse Adler is expected to join the camp on Saturday but it’s not clear whether he will play a part in the friendly with the Congo side.

Bitok, who is being assisted by Jean Marie Nsengiyumva, will name the final 12-player team on October 28.

The team will travel to Kenya for the three friendly games against Prisons, GSU and Cooperative Bank before flying to Cairo for the final warm-up match against Egypt U23 side on November 3.