Three professional players including Meddie Kagere of Singida Big Stars in Tanzania, Kevin Muhire, of Yarmouk in Kuwait, are the latest players to join the Rwanda national team camp ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Benin to be played on March 22 and 27. Amavubi will play against Benin in the 3rd and 4th matchday of Group L on March 22 in Benin and March 27 in Huye, Rwanda, respectively, in search of a ticket for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. Rafael York who features in Gefle in Sweden joined the camp on Wednesday while Ally Niyonzima (Bumamuru, Burundi) joined the camp on March 13. Djihad Bizimana (KMSK Deinze), Hakim Sahabo (Lille) and Glen Habimana of Victoria Rosport also joined the camp on Wednesday. Goalkeeper Olivier Kwizera (Al - Kawkab, Saudi Arabia) will join the others in Ethiopia on March 18. Ange Jimmy Mutsinzi (FK Jerv) and Steve Rubanguka (FC Zimbru, Moldova) will join the team in Cotonou, Benin on March 19. The last player to join Amavubi will be Emmanuel Imanishimwe (FAR Rabat, Morocco) who will meet the team in Benin on March 20. Rwanda will play Ethiopia in a friendly on March 19 in preparation for AFCON2023Q matches against Benin while Ethiopia will play against Guinea. The friendly with Ethiopia will be held at the Adama Science and Technology University Stadium. Rwanda will visit Benin on March 21 before hosting the return leg five days later. Ferrer’s men will then host Mozambique on June 16 before concluding the qualifiers against Senegal on September 8. Rwanda have 12 points to play for in the next four fixtures in an attempt to qualify for AFCON for the first time in 20 years. For more than two decades, no team grabbed 12 points in the qualifiers and failed to make it to the finals of the continent’s most prestigious football tournament. Senegal currently tops Group L with six points, two ahead of second-placed Mozambique. Rwanda is third with one point. Benin are bottom of the table without a single point.
