Foreign players hold Amavubi in friendly

Yesterday Amavubi 1-1 Foreign players Jan. 11 Amavubi vs Foreign players THE national team, Amavubi Stars, was held to a 1-all draw by a select side of foreign players plying their trade in the Primus national football league in their first friendly match played, yesterday, at Amahoro stadium. The match is part of a series of other friendly matches Amavubi plan to play in preparation for the crucial 2013 Nations’ Cup qualifier against Nigeria’s Super Eagles to be played on February 29. Jean Claude Iranzi put the national team ahead on 12th minute after a superb finish past Rayon Sport’s goalie Juma Mpongo. The foreign players’ side equalized on 87th minute from Burundian impressive midfielder Papy Faty who plays for league champions APR FC. He headed home a corner kick taken by Police’s Ernani Rezende. With only injured goalie Jean Claude Ndoli, Jean Baptiste Mugiraneza and Meddie Kagere absent, Amavubi coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic fielded a relatively strong team. The opposition side, which was managed by APR’s Ernie Brandts and Police’s Goran Kopunovic, was boasted with four Brazilians Rivaldo Oliviera, Ernane Rezende (Police) and Diego Oliviera and Douglas Lopez (APR), Burundi’s first choice players of Papy Faty, Loddie Mavugo, Ndikumana Selemani, Fuadi Ndayisenga, Cedric Amissi and Uganda’s Deo Othieno, Godfrey Katerega, Dany Wagaluka, Habib Kavuma, Julius Bakabulindi and Simon Okwi. Amavubi face the same select side in the second match on January 11, 2012 at Amahoro stadium. Amavubi host the Super Eagles in the first leg of the 2013 Africa Nations’ Cup qualifiers on February 29 in Kigali. bonnie.mugabe@newtimes.co.rw

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Foreign players hold Amavubi in friendly