Flying start

2010 World/Africa Cup qualifier Group Eight (Rwanda, Morocco, Ethiopia, Mauritania) Yesterday Rwanda 3-0 Mauritania In an hour of need, you look to someone or something to give you inspiration, most people look to divine intervention to carry them through the hard times. It was the case for Rwanda’s national football team the Amavubi Stars yesterday when they walloped Mauritania 3-0 to register a promising start in the opener of the group eight of the 2010 World/Africa Cup qualifiers played at Nyamirambo stadium. Skipper Olivier Karekezi was in inspirational form to drag his team with him and record the first win for new coach Tucak Blanko. Olivier Karekezi hit the target on the 15th minute of the first half before Said Abedi Makasi ended his international goal drought with a penalty on 64th minute. Bokota Labama Kamana wrapped up things for the Wasps on 75th minute of the game to silence his critics. Blanko deployed the 3-4-3 formation with Karekezi playing off the main strikers Abedi and Bokota however in the second half he switched to 3-5-1 with Bokota playing as a lone striker. Amavubi wasted several chances in the first half as Mauritania forced Rwanda to play in their own half causing Claude Ndoli who was Rwanda’s goalkeeper of the day some discomfort. Yohan Langlet who features for Libya Al Tihad forced Ndoli to make a fine save off the cross bar on the 20th minute of the game. Another crucial chance for Mauritania came on 30th minute as Dominique Da Silva beat Rwanda defence unleashing a low shot which went across away from the goal mouth. Rwanda was denied a clear penalty after Karekezi was brought down but Ivorian referee Doue Nourmandiez waved play on. The home side kick started the second period with quick two substitutions of Aloua Gaseruka coming on for injured Elias Ntaganda and Haruna Niyonzima replacing Jean Mugiraneza to rejuvenate the midfield. A late substitution of Bokota Kamana for Bobo Bola proved worthless as the Swedish second division player seemed to be out of the game. Eric Gasana who switched to the left flank was brought down in the penalty area giving Makasi a chance to slot home his first national team goal in almost four years. Meanwhile, group eight’s other fixture, Morocco and Ethiopia was still under play by press time. Next, Rwanda faces Ethiopia on Saturday in Addis Ababa.Rwanda is expected to host the Morocco a week later before playing the Atlas Lions in a return leg on June 21. On September 7, Rwanda head to Nouakchott for the second leg against Mauritania before winding up their campaign with a home game against Ethiopia on October 12. Ends