‘Bakame’ could captain Cote d’Ivoire match

2012 Nations’ Cup qualifiersGroup HSep 3Rwanda vs Cote d’IvoireBurundi vs BeninCoach Sellas Tetteh has made Jean Luc Ndayishimiye alias Bakame captain of Amavubi’s provisional 27 man squad, and could lead the side if Haruna Niyonzima does not start the match or doesn’t feature at all.

Monday, August 08, 2011
SAFE HANDS: Jean Luc Ndayishimiye (L), seen here in training with teammates before the last qualifier against Burundi. The New Times/ File

2012 Nations’ Cup qualifiers
Group H
Sep 3
Rwanda vs Cote d’Ivoire
Burundi vs Benin

Coach Sellas Tetteh has made Jean Luc Ndayishimiye alias Bakame captain of Amavubi’s provisional 27 man squad, and could lead the side if Haruna Niyonzima does not start the match or doesn’t feature at all.

 Niyonzima is captain of the national team but will be released five days before the tie, as stipulated by FIFA rules, while assistant captain Jean Baptiste Mugiraneza will not feature in the match because of the red card he got in the last qualifier against Burundi.

Tetteh told Times Sport yesterday that the team needed a leader during preparations for the crucial tie, and since Haruna and Mugiraneza are currently not available, he had selected the APR shot stopper as the provisional captain.

"Migi (Mugiraneza) is not in the provisional team because he will not play in the Ivory Coast match, while Haruna and the other professionals will join the team close to the game.

So the team currently needs a leader in training and that is why I selected Bakame,” Tetteh said.

Asked if the APR custodian would captain the side in the event that Haruna does not play the tie either due to poor form or injury, Tetteh remained coy saying "let’s not put pressure on him or speculate.

At the moment he is captain until Haruna reports for training.”

Mugiraneza captained the team in the last qualifier against Burundi, where the national side was thrashed 3-1, while Haruna played only 18 minutes of that match after being relegated to the bench by Police winger Peter Kagabo.

Amavubi are bottom of Group H with 3 points after just one win. Ivory Coast top with 12 points and are followed by Benin and Burundi with 4 points respectively.

Ends