Amavubi for Tz test

International friendlyFeb.06 Tanzania v Rwanda 2010 Fifa/Can qualifiersMay 31Rwanda v MauritaniaJune 7 Ethiopia v RwandaJune 14 Rwanda v MoroccoJune 21Morocco v RwandaSept. 7Mauritania v RwandaOct.12Rwanda v EthiopiaAs the kick-off for the 2010 Word Cup /Africa Nations Cup qualifiers nears, the national football team, the Amavubi Stars, have stepped up their preparations ahead of the marathon qualifiers with a build up game against Tanzania’s Taifa stars on February 6 in Dar es Salaam. The local football governing body’s Chief Executive Officer Jules Kalisa said Tanzania is the only African team that has responded positively to Ferwafa’s call for build-up games ahead of the continental qualifiers that kick-off on the last weekend of May. “Tanzania is willing to host us and we have decided to honour their invitational. The team will travel to Tanzania for the first build up game,” Kalisa said over the weekend.Kalisa added that they (Ferwafa) have no option but to use this chance of playing against Tanzania on a Fifa approved date. “We can’t afford to get any other countries honouring our requests as most of the teams that we had invited are now engaged in the on going Africa Cup of Nations Ghana,” he said Kalisa said that apart from fine tuning the Amavubi Stars, the game will help the team acclimatize to playing on an artificial turf pitch. In a related development, after being sidelined for the just concluded GTV/Cecafa Senior Challenge in Tanzania Rwanda’s prolific leading goal getter Jimmy Gatete and flamboyant midfielder Kalisa Kase have been recalled to the national team. After several years of enjoying a untouchable status at club and national level, the former captain Gatete’s fortunes seemed to be changing for the worse. After being sidelined by a nagging hip injury for the major part of the last two seasons and the subsequential release by APR, Rwanda’s all-time goal scorer was dropped from the national team that was preparing to take part in the GTV Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup due in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania from December 8-22. Ferwafa’s technical team named the 22-man team at the federation’s head quarters with Gatete and Kase recalled. However there was no place for Mike Yossam and Ramadan Nkunzingoma. Kalisa Kase and Ramadan Nkuzingoma were dropped by former coach Josip Kuze for indiscipline while Gatete had been overlooked because of a long-time injury. However, no professional player has been summoned to beef up the Amavubi squad for friendly due next month. Ferwafa is yet to confirm whether some of the foreign players will be summoned to boost the Amavubi Stars in their build up against Taifa Stars. Rwanda’s Amavubi Stars, grouped with Morocco, Mauritania and Ethiopia begin their qualification campaign with a rendezvous against Mauritania on May 31 in Kigali. Rwanda will face Ethiopia away in Addis Ababa on June 7 before hosting the Atlas Lions a week later. The Amavubi Stars will then fly to Rabat on June 21 for a return leg against the North African giants. On September 7, the 2007 Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup losing finalists head to Nouakchott for the second leg against Mauritania before winding up the campaign at home when Ethiopia are the visitors on October 12.The squad: Goal keepersJC Ndoli (APR),Eric Ndairagije (Atraco), Ben Mandela (Police) DefendersIsmail Nshutinamagara (Atraco), Bonaventure Hategikimana (Rayon), Aimable Rucogoza (Rayon), Arafat Serugendo (Mukura), Eric Gasana (APR) Donatien Tuyisenge (Atraco), Elias Ntaganda (APR), Jean Bosco Uwacu(APR). MidfieldersPatrick Mafisango (Atraco), Jean Shyaka (Atraco), Jean Batista Mugiraneza (APR), Haruna Niyonzima (APR), Kalisa Kase (Rayon), Hegman Ngoma (APR). Strikers: Jimmy Gatete (Rayon), Labama Bokota (Rayon), Abedi Mulenda (Atraco), Eric Serugaba (APR), Elias Uzamukunda (APR).

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Amavubi for Tz test