International friendly match

SaturdayRwanda vs Gabon

Afcon Qualifier - July 20Congo vs Rwanda

GABONESE FOOTBALL TEAM, Les Panthères, arrived in the country last night ahead of their scheduled international friendly match against Rwanda’s Amavubi on Saturday at Kigali Regional Stadium.

The Gabonese team comprises a 46-man squad including 20 players, nine technical staff, six journalists and 11 officials who came aboard Ethiopian airways.

They are staying at La Palisse Hotel and are scheduled to use Kicukiro turf as their training base today.

The two nations are using this game to prepare for the 30th edition of the African Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Both teams have only met on the junior level. In May, they met in the U20 Afcon games with the hosts knocking out Rwanda with a 1-0 score line in Gabon’s capital city Libreville.

The friendly game will assist Amavubi coach Stephen Constantine to assess his boys with both sides eyeing Morocco in 2015. Gabon which is ranked 89th according to Fifa rankings, is placed in Group C alongside Angola, Burkina Faso and the winner who will step forward between Kenya and Lesotho.

Amavubi will face Congo’s Red Devils on 20 July and a return leg is scheduled to be held on 2 August in Kigali.

The Wasps defeated Libya 3-0 in Kigali having drawn goalless in the first game played in Tunisia. Red Devils defeated Namibia 3-1 in the first round qualifiers.

Lead goal poacher in the qualification round, Dady Birori with three goals is expected in the country today.

Gabon Squad: Moundounga Rodrigue, Ambourouet Georges, Nguema Boris, Yembi Arnold, Ottomo Moussa Victorien, Wombo Biteghe Terence, Ndong Meye Lauryl, Moanda Bangalier Amédée, Gnassa Yann, Dinda Muller, Engonga Obame Franck, Nguema Erwin, Boussougou Cédric, Ndong Mba Emmanuel, Ondo Biyoghe Cédric, Sokambi Iaty Bonaventure, Appindangoye Aaron, Yacouya Lionel, Ness Younga Knox and Ntsitsigui Romuald.