Hakizimana delighted after Amavubi callup
Monday, March 20, 2023
Rayon Sports goalkeeper Adolphe Hakizimana has expressed his exciting feeling about his latest Amavubi selection ahead of their visit to Benin in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier. File

Rayon Sports goalkeeper Adolphe Hakizimana has expressed his exciting feeling about his latest Amavubi selection ahead of their visit to Benin in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier that will take place at Stade de l’Amitie in Cotonou on Wednesday, March 22.

Rwanda head coach Carlos Alós Ferrer added Hakizimana to his Amavubi setup after his first choice shot stopper Olivier Kwizera sustained an injury while on duty with his club Al Kawkab over the weekend.

Kwizera’s sudden injury forced the Spanish tactician bring Hakizimana to replace him with and start competing for the starting berth between the sticks against APR’s Pierre Ishimwe and AS Kigali’s Fiacre Ntwari.

"I am happy to be on the Rwanda national team. It’s a good opportunity for us, I am ready to give my best when the coach gives me a chance. We have good players who are talented and are at a pleasing standard and I believe we will do better against Benin,” Hakizimana said.

"The most important thing is to ensure that we win the match because I believe it will be a difficult game but I have high hopes of a good result in the end,” added Rayon Sports stopper.

The goalkeeper left for Cotonou on Monday, March 20, where he will link up with the rest of the team which left Addis Ababa hours after their 1-0 defeat to Ethiopia in a friendly on Sunday at Adama Nazret stadium.

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Rwanda currently sit in third place in Group L with one point and will be hoping to grab an away victory against bottom-placed Benin in Cotonou and boost their chances of qualifying to the AFCON finals which will take place in Ivory Coast, their first ticket in Tunisia in 2004.

Senegal, who lead the group table with six points, will visit Mozambique who are currently second with four points.

Ferrer wants to with both legs against Benin, in Cotonou on Wednesday and in Huye on March 27, to collect maximum points that can put Amavubi in a good position to qualify prior to hosting Mozambique on June 16 and Senegal on September 8.