Nov. 5: First legEthiopia vs Rwanda

Nov.12: Second legRwanda vs Ethiopia

Amavubi head coach Antoine Hey has named a provisional squad of 24 players for the 2018 Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) play-off match first leg against Ethiopia that will be played on November 5 in Addis Ababa.

Rwanda will end residential camp on Sunday at Hotel La Pallise in Nyandungu and begin training on Monday at Amahoro National Stadium. The team will travel to Ethiopia on November, 3, two days before the game.

This means that next weekend’s Azam Rwanda Premier League matches will be called off and will resume after the second leg match in Kigali on November 12.

Rwanda will face Ethiopia in a play-off to decide, who replaces Egypt in the 2018 African Nations Championship which is set to take place next January in Morocco. The finals tournament draws will be done in Morocco on November 17.

League champions Rayon Sports’ trio of center-back Faustin Usengimana, left-back Eric Rutanga and forward Djabel Imanishimwe, have been added to the squad.

Also making the list are APR’s forwards Muhadjir Hakizimana and Maxime Sekamana, Police FC duo of Mirafa Nizeyimana and Celestin Ndayishimiye, who last featured for Amavubi during 2016 CHAN finals as well as SC Kiyovu Djuma Nizeyimana.

Egypt withdrew drew from taking part in the 2018 African Nations Championship last Sunday. The development came after Morocco had replaced Kenya as the hosts of the 2018 CHAN after Kenya was stripped of the rights to host the competition.

In August, Rwanda missed out a place in next year’s CHAN Morocco finals as they lost to Uganda 3-2 on aggregate.

Provisional Squad:

Goalkeepers: Eric Ndayishimiye (Rayon Sports), Marcel Nzarora (Police FC) and Yves Kimenyi (APR FC)

Defenders: Thierry Manzi (Rayon Sports), Faustin Usengimana (Rayon Sports), Soter Kayumba (AS Kigali), Celestin Ndayishimiye (Police FC), Eric Iradukunda (AS Kigali), Herve Rugwiro (APR FC), Eric Rutanga (Rayon Sports) and Saddam Nyandwi (Rayon Sports).

Midfielders: Djihad Bizimana (APR FC), Yannick Mukunzi (Rayon Sports), Olivier Niyonzima (Rayon Sports), Muhadjir Hakizimana (APR FC), Amran Nshimiyimana (APR FC), Ally Niyonzima (AS Kigali) and Mirafa Nizeyimana (Police FC).

Forwards: Justin Mico (Police FC), Djabel Imanishimwe (Rayon Sports), Abeddy Biramahire (Police FC), Innocent Nshuti (APR FC), Djuma Nizeyimana (SC Kiyovu) and Maxime Sekamana (APR FC).

editorial@newtimes.co.rw