2010 FIFA/CAN
Qualifier
September 6
Mauritania v Rwanda

Rwanda’s four professionals summoned for national team duty have joined the Amavubi Stars’ camp ahead of this weekend’s 2010 World/Africa Nations Cup qualifier against Mauritania in Nouakchott.

The four who include; skipper Olivier Karekezi (Ham Kam), Bobo Bola (Laundkronabois), Hamad Ndikumana (Omonio) and Henry Munyaneza (Germinal Beerschot) linked with the rest of the Amavubi squad yesterday from their respective clubs.

"They are all departing from Brussels today (yesterday) and will be arriving in Nouakchott the same afternoon,” Ferwafa vice president Vedaste Kayiranga confirmed to Times Sport yesterday.

He also noted that the first delegation that left Kigali on Sunday arrived safely in Nouakchott.

There were reports of the Rwandan delegation having been booked in poor standard hotel; however, Kayiranga confirmed that after expressing their uncomfortability, they were transferred to a better one.

Rwanda needs to get something out of this fixture in order to boost their chances of progressing to the third and final qualifying round.

Mauritania sits comfortably at the bottom of group eight without even a single point from four matches.

The good news about this qualifier is the return to the Amavubi Stars of inform striker Munyaneza after a two-year self imposed exile.

The Belgium-based forward last played for the national team during the ill-fated 2006 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Liberia under Michael Nees.    

Rwanda goes into the weekend qualifier hoping to do a double over their opponents who they beat 3-1 in the first leg in Kigali in May.

A win for Rwanda would boost the country’s chances of reaching the third and final qualification round.

Branko Tucak’s team is currently second in the group, level on nine points with Morocco but the North Africa sides have a better goal difference.

Ethiopia  are third with six points but have been suspended [indefinitely] from taking further part in the qualifiers by the world football governing body, Fifa because of government meddling in football affairs, which contravenes Fifa rules.

Twenty countries will qualify for the third round of the competition with the group winners in the 12 groups qualifying automatically.

Eight best runners-up will join the 12 group winners for the third round, which will have a total of 20 teams. The following system will be adopted to fairly rank teams placed second in groups.

Group 8

Team            P   W  D   L  Pts
Morocco       4    3   0   1     9
Rwanda        4    3   0   1     9
Ethiopia        4    2   0   2     6
Mauritania     4    0   0   4     0

Ends