Rushenguziminega gets Amavubi call up

Rwanda national football team head coach Jonny Mckinstry has added Switzerland-based striker Quentin Rushenguziminega to the Amavubi squad for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Ghana.

Thursday, July 16, 2015
Quentin Rushenguziminega (R) celebrates with a teammate after scoring for FC Echallens of Switzerland. (Net photo)

Rwanda national football team head coach Jonny Mckinstry has added Switzerland-based striker Quentin Rushenguziminega to the Amavubi squad for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Ghana.

Mckinstry, together with FERWAFA president Vincent Nzamwita, met the player and his parents at their home in Lausanne, Switzerland on Wednesday.

After negotiations, the player accepted to play for his home country and if he makes the grade, he could make his international debut in second Group H match against Ghana scheduled for September 5 at Amahoro national stadium.

Rushenguziminega was born on November 13, 1991 in Switzerland to Rwandan parents. Recently, he signed for Lausanne Sport in the Swiss second division league from FC Echallens where he scored 23 goals in 21 matches.

FC Echallens currently plays in Liga 1, which is the fourth tier in the Swiss football pyramid.

Mckinstry is also keen to bring France-based Kévin Monnet-Paquet, who plays for French ligue 1 AS Saint-Étienne but negotiations are still in progress.

Monnet-Paquet, who has a mother of Rwandan descent and French father, was born on August 19, 1988 in Bourgoin-Jallieu France. He has represented France at U-18 and U-19 level.

Meanwhile, the Amavubi Stars are scheduled to play three international friendly matches against South Africa, Congo Brazzaville, and the Democratic Republic of Congo in preparation for the Ghana clash.

Amavubi will play Bafana Bafana on July 25 in Johannesburg. They will follow this with a game against Congo on August 27 in Brazzaville before taking on DR Congo two days later in Kinshasa.

But before the games against Congo Brazzaville and DRC, McKinstry’s team will have a special two-week training camp in Scotland from August 2-19.

Rwanda is second in Group H with three points, level with table leaders Ghana but the Black Stars have a better goal difference having hammered hapless Mauritius 7-1 in the opening qualifier while Amavubi won 1-0 away to Mozambique.

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