2010 World Cup fixtures

May 30-31, 2008

Rwanda v Mauritania

Morocco v Ethiopia

June 7-8, 2008

Ethiopia v Rwanda

Mauritania v Morocco

June 14-15, 2008

Rwanda v Morocco

Mauritania v Ethiopia

June 21-22, 2008

Morocco v Rwanda

Ethiopia v Mauritania

September 6-7, 2008

Mauritania v Rwanda

Ethiopia v Morocco

October 11-12, 2008

Rwanda v Ethiopia

Morocco v Mauritania

Rwanda will face Mauritania in the opening fixture of the qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup/Nations Cup to be staged in South Africa and Angola respectively.

According to the fixtures, Rwanda will have to play four of their seven qualifiers within four weeks.

The Amavubi Stars host North African nation on the weekend of May 30-31 at Amahoro stadium, the same weekend Morocco entertains Ethiopia in Rabat.

Three points on the first weekend would a major boost going into the second game away to Ethiopia in Addis Ababa one week after hosting Mauritania.

But the first real test for Josip Kuze’s outfit will come on the weekend of June 14-15 when Morocco would be the visitors seven days before Rwanda travels to Rabat.

The Amavubi Stars will travel to Nouakchott on September 6-7 to face Mauritania and wind up with a home fixture against Ethiopia on October 11-12 in Kigali.

The run-up to CAN Ghana2008 had Rwanda win only two fixtures at home against Liberia and Eq. Guinea, lost one against Cameroon but lost all the three ties away from home.

In Rwanda’s group, only Morocco will play at the next finals in Ghana. Ethiopia, Mauritania along with Rwanda failed to qualify for the biannual continental championship.

For Rwanda to be able to reach the 2010 World Cup/CAN qualifiers proper, they would have to either lead group H or be among the eight best-placed runners-up.

Fifa seems to have congested the fixture deliberately to take advantage of the summer season when European clubs will all be out of action as Euro 2008 takes centre-stage.

Ends