President Paul Kagame this afternoon met with the National football team, Amavubi, who are representing the country in the ongoing Orange African Nations Championship (CHAN).

The team was led by head coach Johnny McKinstry to the meeting at the President’s Office, Village Urugwiro, in Kigali.

"Chances of winning are higher when you go into a game believing in your ability to win. You should not count on luck to win,’ the President told the team which qualified to the last eight following victories over Ivory Coast and Gabon.

He added: "Everyone loses at some point but losing is unacceptable when it is a result of you performing under your capabilities.”

The team is set to face DR Congo on Saturday in the first quarterfinal tie at Amahoro National Stadium, Remera.

"Begin by believing that winning is possible, that you are as capable as your opponent, then work hard to achieve it,” Kagame told the team according to tweets by the President’s Office.

He reminded the players that, going into the Saturday game, they will be carrying the country’s flag: "we are all behind you, the whole country is behind you.”

He urged them to observe discipline and professionalism in their game.

Rwanda has beaten DR Congo in each of their previous two meetings, the first a 1-0 win at the 2004 African Cup of Nations finals in Tunisia, and, more recently, during this year’s 1-0 victory in a CHAN buildup game in Rubavu.

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