Amavubi, the national football team, have started residential training as they prepare for a clash against Mali in Group E of the 2022 Qatar World Cup qualifiers next month.

Rwanda will visit Mali on September 1-3 before hosting Kenya in the second fixture between September 5-7. Also part of the group is Uganda, whose first-leg encounter with Rwanda is scheduled for October 6.

Vincent Mashami’s side reported to camp on Friday, August 13, at Sainte Famille Hotel and are training twice a day. The team will use both the Kigali Stadium and Amahoro National Stadium as training facilities.

Rwanda, placed bottom among the four Group E teams in the latest Fifa rankings, will be hoping to have a better campaign after failing to qualify for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations.

In an interview with Times Sport about the opening match, Amavubi head coach Mashami acknowledged that "Mali are a good side” but Rwandan players are ‘hungry for success’ and that will play an important role in fighting for victory.

After six match rounds, a home and away round-robin format, only the top team will progress to the third and final round of qualifiers for the Fifa World Cup.

Amavubi reached the group stage – second round – after edging out Seychelles 10-0 on aggregate in October 2019.