Rwanda will be aiming to pick up the three maximum points at stake on Sunday, June 18, when they welcome Mozambique to Huye Stadium in an AFCON Group L qualifier. Amavubi have their destiny in their own hands and they must sting the Mambas if they are to bring their quest of securing an AFCON qualification for the second time in history back on track. Rwanda were declared losers by CAF in their last qualification against Benin at the Kigali Pele Stadium which ended 1-1 as they fielded an unqualified player. The forfeit has now seen Rwanda drop to bottom of the table with two points from four games. ALSO READ: Afcon qualifiers: Rwanda hold Mozambique in Johannesburg Mozambique dropped to third with four points, after Benin held Senegal to 1-1 draw on Saturday in Cotonou to move climb to second. Sunday's game at Huye Stadium will be an absolute ‘do or die’ affair with Rwanda's Spanish tactician Carlos Alos Ferrer aware that a slip would end their qualification hopes. In terms of head to head, both teams are evenly matched. They have faced each other five times with Rwanda winning two, Mozambique also winning twice whereas one game ended in a draw. The first ever encounter between the two countries at senior level was on June 14, 2015 when Rwanda went away to beat Mozambique 1-0 in Maputo, the return leg of that AFCON qualifier also saw the Mambas winning 3-2 in Kigali ALSO READ: AFCON Qualifiers: Ferrer insists Mozambique clash is a ‘do or die’ Also in qualification for the 2021 AFCON, Mozambique beat Rwanda 2-0 with the Amavubi winning the return leg 1-0 through a Lague Byiringiro strike. The two teams settled for a 1-1 draw in South Africa on June 2, 2023 in a first leg game of the ongoing 2023 AFCON qualifiers. Rwanda has been boosted by the return of sensational teenager Hakim Sahabo who has been superb for the team since earning his first cap against Sudan in November 2022. Defender Emmanuel Imanishimwe was also released by FAR Rabat and he will feature on Sunday. There is also a recall of Raal La Louviere midfielder Samuel Gueulette and Sandvikens Yannick Mukunzi who all last played for Amavubi in 2021. Mozambican coach Chiquinho Conde is still brooding over the loss of his biggest player Reinildo Mandava of Atletico Madrid who has had surgery and is hence sidelined through injury until September. Conde will rely on danger man Stanley Ratifo who scored the equalizer in the first encounter a year ago. Home advantage will hopefully work for Rwanda since this is the first time in a year that the national team is playing in front of home fans. Considering the two teams, Rwanda looks formidable on paper and coach Carlos Alos Ferrer has emphasized that the approach will be different from the other games the team has played. A win for Rwanda is likely to see them tie points with second place rivals on the table.
