The national football team (Amavubi) will play a second FIFA international friendly game on Monday, March 25 against Madagascar.
Scheduled to take place at the Mahamasina Municipal Stadium in Antananarivo, Madagascar at 3PM, the game will be the first ever encounter between the two countries at the senior football level.
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It will be played as part of Amavubi’s preparations for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers that will resume in June.
Rwanda are on top of Group C of the African qualifiers with four points, having won one game (against South Africa) and drawing one (against Zimbabwe).
As for Madagascar, they are third in Group I with three points, having lost 1-0 to Ghana before beating Chad 3-0.
Amavubi’s most recent match was a friendly with Botswana on Friday, March 22. It ended in a goalless stalemate. Madagascar’s most recent game was against Burundi and it ended 1-0 in favour of the islanders.
Rwanda is unbeaten in all the three games it has played under German coach Torsten Spittler. The team has registered two wins and one draw, and is yet to concede a goal.
Madagascar ranks 109th in the latest FIFA rankings, while Rwanda is 133rd.
In the game Vs Rwanda, the islanders can rely on some key players including Njiva Rakotoharimalala who plays for Thai club Ratchaburi, Loic Lapoussin who plays for Belgian Jupiler Pro League leaders Union Saint Gilloise, and Dorian Bertrand who plays in Romania.
Arguably, Madagascar’s strongest department is their attack where they play much fluidity.
For Rwanda, despite failing to score against Botswana during Friday’s friendly game, the team played well, dominating possession and having good scoring opportunities and were solid at the back.
The likes of Ange Mutsinzi, Thierry Manzi and Emmanuel Imanishimwe defended well, while Gilbert Mugisha played well on the wings. Amavubi's key problem was failure to be clinical when it came to converting chances into goals.
The game Vs Madagascar will provide a good test for both countries in their preparations for the World Cup qualifiers.