First leg

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Rwanda national football team has gone four consecutive games without scoring a goal but head coach Johnny McKinstry believes his squad has the quality to end that drought against Libya on Friday in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier in Sousse, Tunisia.

Amavubi lost to Ghana 1-0 in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier in September before losing 1-0 to Gabon in an international friendly the following weekend. They then lost 1-0 to both Burkina Faso CHAN team and the Tunisia Olympic U-23 team in Morocco last month.

However, McKinstry believes that either player on his strike force of Quentin Rushenguziminega, Ernest Sugira and Isaie Songa can trouble the Libyan defense that has conceded seven goals in their last three games in all competitions.

The Northern Irish trainer has urged midfield players to also share the responsibility of scoring goals and that includes captain Haruna Niyonzima and wingers Jean Claude Iranzi and Jacques Tuyisenge.

"We will be approaching it in a positive frame of mind with our players looking to get on the ball and show their quality as well as ensuring we are well organized out of possession.

"I am confident that if we can do that and play to our strengths, we will be able to expose weaknesses in our opponents over the two games,” said McKinstry in an interview with Times Sport.

He also added that his full backs Michel Rusheshangoga and Abouba Sibomana as well as Rushenguziminega have worked at maximum intensity throughout all sessions.

He said, "Michel only had a slight angle knock so he was never a concern for us. Sibomana obviously had a more significant injury but a lot of credit must go to our physio (Patrick Rutamu) who has got him back to 100%.”

Concerning Swiss-based Rushenguziminega, he added that, "Quentin has trained normally. He recently had an operation on his hand following an injury so he is playing with a protective glove but this has no impact on him at all.”

Rwanda overcame Libya the last time the two sides met in the AFCON 2015 qualifiers last year settling for a goalless draw in the first leg in Tunisia before the Amavubi defeated the Mediterranean Knights 3-0 in the return leg through a Dady Birori hat-trick.

However, only nine of the 23 players, who played against the Amavubi last year, are on the current squad so his side has to look at executing their game plan.

The return leg will be played on November 17 at the Kigali Regional Stadium in Nyamirambo. The 20 winners from the second round will be divided into five groups of four teams, and each group winner will qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The draw will be done after the second leg.

Amavubi probable starting XI:

Olivier Kwizera, Michel Rusheshangoga, Emery Bayisenge, Salomon Nirisarike, Abouba Sibomana, Jean Baptiste Mugiraneza, Yannick Mukunzi, Haruna Niyonzima, Jacques Tuyisenge, Jean Claude Iranzi, Quentin Rushenguziminega.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw