Amavubi Stars coach Eric Nshimiyimana announced his provisional 26-man squad on Friday for the forthcoming CHAN 2014 qualifier first leg against Ethiopia scheduled for July 14 in Addis Ababa. There are place for two debutants, including APR’s defender Heritier Turatsinze and Police midfielder Musa Mutuyimana, while Rayon Sports midfielder Djamar Mwiseneza and James Tubane of AS Kigali make a return to the national team fold after years in the dark. Mwiseneza and Tubane last featured for Amavubi in 2009 during the Cecafa Senior Challenge up held in Nairobi under Nshimiyimana when he was interim coach after the sacking of Tucak Branko. Amavubi entered into residential camp in Gicumbi District. However, there is no place on the team for Arsenal reserve team midfielder Alfred Mugabo, who impressed on his senior international debut against Algeria last month. According to the head coach, Nshimiyimana, there is no plan for the team to play warm-up matches before the Ethiopia qualifier next weekend. “We wanted to play against Uganda but they insisted on playing the match in Kigali yet we also want to play away from home given that out next (competitive) match is away from home. So we have decided to continue our preparations from here,” he told Sunday Sport. Rwanda were drawn to play the Walya Antelopes of Ethiopia in the Central-East zone and the aggregate winner over the two legs will join other qualifying nations from North and West A zones (3 each), West B, Central, Central-East and Southern zones (3 each) and the host nation to make it 16 nations in the third edition. The coach has called ten players from APR, six from league champions Rayon Sports, Police has five, AS Kigali has three players, while AS Muhanga and relegated Isonga have one each. Full squad: Patrick Sibomana Michel Ndahinduka, Tumaine Titi Ntamuhanga, Emery Bayisenge, Hamdan Bariyanga, Heritier Turatsinze, Andrew Buteera, Jean Baptiste Mugiraneza, Michel Rusheshangoga and Jean Claude Ndoli (APR FC), Djamal Mwiseneza, Abouba Sibomana, Gad Niyonshuti, Faustin Usengimana, Aphrodis Hategekimana, Gerard Bikorimana (Rayon Sports). The others are; Mohamed Mushimiyimana, James Tubane, Jimmy Mbaraga (AS Kigali), Meddy Kagere, Emmanuel ‘Crespo’ Sebanani, Fabrice Twagizimana, Evariste Mutuyimana and Musa Mutuyimana (Police FC), Hassan Gasozera (AS Muhanga) and Steven Ntaribi (Isonga).
