Rwanda’s senior football team - the Amavubi Stars will regroup on May 26 ahead of their 2014 World Cup qualifiers against Mali and Algeria.The local football body’s CEO Michel Gasingwa told Times Sport on Monday that arrangements have been made to ensure that all players are in camp next Monday.“The Mali and Algeria games are very important for us and we have to prepare the team effectively,” affirmed the former Rwandan international referee. Rwanda will play against Mali on June 9 in Bamako before hosting Algeria on June 16 in Kigali.According to the head coach, Eric Nshimiyimana, the team will go into the two games aiming to win. He said, “These are very important matches that we want to win. We will not qualify for the World Cup but we need to play these games for the honor of the country and in terms of improving our world ranking.” “I expect a good performance from the players since their performance will determine how they would perform in the CHAN qualifier against Ethiopia.”Amavubi are in Group H of the 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign and have registered a draw and two defeats in three matches.Rwanda’s hopes of qualifying for their first major tournament since the Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia in 2004 are virtually over after last month’s 1-2 home loss to Mali which left them firmly rooted to the bottom of the group.The national team last won a competitive match during the 2012 Cecafa Challenge Cup against Eritrea in the group stages before losing to Tanzania in the quarter-finals.
