Amavubi lines up friendlies against Burundi, Tz

The Rwanda U-23 national football team will face Burundi in a friendly match on December 20 after the one against Tanzania was postponed to January 2015. Amavubi were scheduled to face the Taifa Stars on December 9 during their Independence Day celebrations in Dar es Salaam but the encounter has been called off due to the unavailability of players who will be competing in the Ombudman’s Cup at club level from December 6-7. Rwanda is keen to play friendly games in preparation for the 2016 Rio Olympic qualifiers next year to test their readiness ahead of the encounter against Somalia in the first round of qualification in March. Amavubi head coach Stephen Constantine told Times Sport that, “We are looking forward to playing more friendly games. It is yet another game for us to give an opportunity to the young players to get exposure.” “When I came here in May I had one striker in Dady Birori but now I have four or five who are young so they have to play games to gain experience. That is why this game is very important,” explained Constantine. Rwanda will face Somalia in the first round of qualification and victory will secure a face off against Uganda and the winner of that tie will then take on Egypt. The victor will qualify for the 2015 CAF U-23 Championships scheduled for December in Democratic Republic of Congo with the top three making the mark for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games in Brazil. Last month, Rwanda held Morocco to a goalless draw in Marrakesh in an international friendly, their first game in three months.

Sports

Amavubi lines up friendlies against Burundi, Tz