Murengezi recalled to national team

Midfielder Rodriguez Murengezi has returned to the national team and will be part of the ten-day training camp in Morocco in preparation for the 2018 World Cup qualifiers as well as the 2016 Africa Nations Championship (CHAN). Amavubi will play an international friendly against Burkina Faso on October 9 and in November, they will face Libya in a two-legged preliminary round qualifier for the 2018 Russia World Cup before hosting the CHAN finals tournament from January 16 to February 7 next year. Murengezi has scored four goals in three games for AS Kigali in the Azam Rwanda Premier League including a hat-trick against Sunrise FC in 4-0 win over the weekend. Murengezi was named by Stephen Constantine on the squads against Libya and Congo Brazzaville last year. “I am happy to come back in the team again, I am looking forward to working hard and I will try to do my best. I am here to help the team to achieve better results in the matches we have ahead,” Murengezi said on Wednesday, the day head coach Jonny McKinstry named the 23-player squad. The team heads to Morocco on Sunday. Meanwhile, after failing to agree with Morocco and Tunisia, Rwanda Football Association (FERWAFA) are in negotiations with Equatorial Guinea to play an international friendly on October 13. McKinstry says that the Morocco camp is a great opportunity to work towards a couple of objectives, “I am expecting a very useful 10 days that will allow us to undertake a lot of work as we move forward on multiple fronts.” “I am happy we have been able to call our foreign-based players to join us for the training camp. For many teams in Africa, October and November will be used to compete in the first round of the World Cup qualifiers,” he noted. The professional players summoned include; skipper Haruna Niyonzima (Young Africans, TZ), Azam’s Jean Baptiste Mugiraneza (Azam FC, TZ), central defender Salomon Nirisarike (Saint Truiden, Belgium), - striker Quentin Rushenguziminega (Lausanne Sport, Swiss) and defender Abouba Sibomana (Gor Mahia, Ken). Amavubi Squad: Goalkeepers: Eric Ndayishimiye (Rayon) and Olivier Kwizera (APR) Defenders: Michel Rusheshangoga (APR), Fitina Omborenga (Kiyovu), Abouba Sibomana (Gor Mahia, Kenya), Celestin Ndayishimiye (Mukura VS), Abdul Rwatubyaye (APR), Salomon Nirisarike (Sint Truiden, Belgium), Faustin Usengimana (APR), James Tubane (Rayon Sports) Midfielders: Mugiraneza, Yannick Mukunzi (APR), Djihad Bizimana (APR), Mohammed Mushimiyimana (Police), Haruna Niyonzima, Hegman Ngomirakiza (Police), Jean Claude Iranzi (APR), Innocent Habyarimana (Police), Jacques Tuyisenge (Police) and Murengezi Rodrigue (AS Kigali) Forwards: Quentin Rushenguziminega, Isaie Songa (Police), and Ernest Sugira (AS Kigali). editorial@newtimes.co.rw