Amavubi captain Tuyisenge hopes to be clinical in Morocco match
Friday, January 22, 2021

Today

Group C Morocco vs Rwanda 6pm Uganda vs Togo 9pm

Amavubi striker and captain Jacques Tuyisenge is hoping he will be more clinical in front of goal when the national team takes on Morocco in the second Group C game at the ongoing African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Douala, Cameroon.

The match starts at 6 pm Rwandan time, at the 30,000-seater Stade de la Réunification. 

"We are ready for the game and we want to win the game, we played well against Uganda but failed to score but now we have to be at our top level. We need to be more clinical in front of goal and part of that responsibility is mine. I hope to score today,” Tuyisenge said.

Rwanda are making their fourth appearance at the African Nations Championship.

In their opening game, the Wasps played out a goalless draw with the Cranes of Uganda, as both nations failed to convert their chances.

Muhadjiri Hakizimana came closest to scoring on the half-hour mark, when he rattled the crossbar after gliding past a couple of Uganda defenders.

Head coach Vincent Mashami continues to struggle for results, managing just three wins in 13 competitive games since his appointment in 2018.

Rwanda have failed to taste victory in their last nine outings, with their last win coming in 2019 when they defeated Ethiopia in the CHAN 2020 qualifiers.

They are also winless in their last three meetings with Morocco, and will need to end this poor run if they hope to progress to the next round.

A win will lift Rwanda to one point clear of the defending champions at the top of Group C, and almost guarantee Amavubi’s place in the quarter-finals.

Rwanda will be without the services of midfielder Eric 'Zidane' Nsabimana, who was injured midway through the game against Uganda.

Striker Ernest Sugira is also expected to push for a place in the starting XI. The Rayon Sports striker who lit up the 2016 CHAN edition with 3 goals was suspended for the first match.

The Atlas Lions of Morocco became the first nation to host and win the African Nations Championship in 2018, after an emphatic 4-1 victory against Nigeria in the final.

Morocco will be aiming to make it two wins from two when they take on Rwanda, after opening their title defense with a shaky win on Monday evening.

The 2018 winners battled for a 1-0 victory against a resilient Togo side, while Rwanda settled for a goalless draw with Uganda at the Douala Reunification Stadium.

Morocco possible starting line-up:

Zniti, El Moussaoui, Boutouil, Bouftini, Baadi, Jabrane, Larbi, El Karti, Rahimi, El Kaabi, and Hadraf.

Rwanda possible starting line-up:

Olivier Kwizera (GK), Thierry Manzi, Ange Mutsinzi, Fitina Ombalenga, and Emmanuel Imanishimwe, Olivier ‘Seif’ Niyonzima, Rachid Kalisa, Dominique-Savio Nshuti, Muhadjiri Hakizimana, Ernest Sugira and Jacques Tuyisenge.