Rwanda senior national team head coach Antoine Hey has said that Amavubi will put up a good performance against Tanzania in the 2018 CHAN qualifiers, first leg on Saturday at CCM Kirumba Stadium in Mwanza.
Saturday: First leg
Tanzania vs Rwanda 3:30pm
Rwanda senior national team head coach Antoine Hey has said that Amavubi will put up a good performance against Tanzania in the 2018 CHAN qualifiers, first leg on Saturday at CCM Kirumba Stadium in Mwanza.
The German tactician is convinced the current team is in good position to overcome Tanzania because the young players are hungry for success and to establish themselves at the highest level.
"Everyone in the national team is happy, the spirit is good and players are all fresh with no injuries, we are training twice a day. We know what to expect from Tanzania so we have to be well-prepared, both physically and mentally,” Hey noted.
Hey has been tasked to qualify Rwanda for the 2018 CHAN and 2019 AFCON finals tournaments in Kenya and Cameroon respectively.
Amavubi entered residential training camp on Wednesday last week. The team will depart for Mwanza on Thursday ahead of the first leg clash on Saturday, while the return leg will be staged on July 22 at Kigali Stadium in Nyamirambo.
The 46-year-old added that, "We have been following how Tanzania plays and we know they are a good team. But we will try to get an away goal and then hope to eliminate them at home.”
The last time Rwanda played against Tanzania was during the 2015 CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup staged in Ethiopia, a game that Amavubi lost 1-2 in the group stage.
The winners between Rwanda and Tanzania will face either Uganda or South Sudan in the third and final qualification round due next month.
The second round winners will meet in the third round where only eventual winners will qualify to represent the Central and East Zone, alongside hosts Kenya.
The CHAN tournament, which is reserved for players who feature in their respective domestic leagues across Africa, will be staged from January 11 to February 2, 2018. Rwanda made her second appearance as they hosted the 2016 edition, during which they reached the quarter-finals before losing 1-2 in extra-time to eventual winners DR Congo.
editorial@newtimes.co.rw