We will put up a do or die show – skipper Niyonzima

RWANDA national team captain Haruna Niyonzima has said his team will put up a do or die show in the 2013 Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup Group C second game against Sudan at Nyayo stadium in Nairobi, today.

Monday, December 02, 2013
Haruna Niyonzima (right) and striker Meddie Kagere during a training session. Amavubi take on Sudan today hoping for a win after losing the first game. The New Times / File.

MondayGroup CRwanda    vs      Sudan     1pmUganda     vs      Eritrea     3pmRWANDA national team captain Haruna Niyonzima has said his team will put up a do or die show in the 2013 Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup Group C second game against Sudan at Nyayo stadium in Nairobi, today.After losing the opening match against Uganda, Rwanda needs a win against Sudan to stand a chance of making it to the quarterfinals.  Sudan kicked off the campaign with a 3-0 drabbing of Eritrea.Niyonzima, who wasn’t at his usual best in the opening game against the Uganda Cranes and was replaced by Abouba Sibomana midway through the second half, remains optimistic ahead of the remaining two group games."We just need to be focused for the whole game because if we don’t, Sudan may punish us the way Uganda did. We are not in good position but we’re confident that we can beat Sudan, it’s a good side, so we need to be ready mentally and physically,” Niyonzima said.The skipper said the Sudanese will be under more pressure to prove that they are favourites.Commenting on the previous game against Uganda Cranes, Niyonzima said, "We played so well and to be honest, we were the better team for larger parts of the game but we missed a lot of chances, which came back to haunt us. We are not a bad team but sometimes we are unlucky in-front of goal.”In the day’s other game, the defending champions Uganda go into the game as  favourites against  Eritrea, which has been hit with the disappearance of two players from the team’s  camp.On Saturday, hosts Kenya beat South Sudan 3-1 with goals coming from Jockins Atudo’s penalty in the 16th minute and Jacob Keli’s headed effort putting the Harambe Stars in the lead.South Sudan’s captain, Richard Jistin scored a beautiful free kick in the 27th minute before David Owino scored Kenya’s third goal in the 78th minute.In the other match, Ethiopia beat Zanzibar 3-1, thanks to goals by Yousuf Yassin Salah, Khamis Bakari and Wazir Salum. Awadh Juma Issa scored the consolation goal for Zanzibar.