Rwanda head coach Torsten Frank Spittler cleared the air on Hakim Sahabo’s situation, explaining that starting the youngster on the bench against South Africa at Huye Stadium was a tactical decision.

The Standard Liege midfielder was unimpressed by Spittler’s decision to take him off for Kevin Muhire during goalless draw against Zimbabwe last week in the opening game of the 2026 World Cup Africa qualifiers.

The player at the time expressed his frustration by throwing a bottle in front of the bench shortly after leaving the pitch.

Spittler left the youngster out of his starting 11 against South Africa despite his outstanding performance against Zimbabwe, raising concerns about a potential rift between the two.

Kevin Muhire took Sahabo’s place in medfield against Bafana Bafana in what the coach pointed out that it was a tactical change.

ALSO READ: 2026 WC Qualifiers: Nshuti and Mugisha fire Rwanda past South Africa

"There is no doubt about Hakim Sahabo’s talent. He is our most creative player and one of the best we have in the team," Spittler told journalists in a post-match press conference.

"Letting him start from the bench against South Africa was purely a tactical decision. He is very young and a great offensive player. In this game, we needed someone who can do additional defensive job in midfield and Kevin was the right person."

ALSO READ: Sahabo unimpressed by Spittler&039;s substitution

While starting Sabaho came as a surprise to many, Spittler explained that he discussed the decision with the player before the match.

"I told Sahabo before the selection about my tactics, I told him I needed Kevin to start because of his energy. I told him he would come on when the South Africans are exhausted and he understood it professionally," the German explained.

The coach is convinced by Sahabo’s exceptional talent but insists that he is still too young to carry the team’s burden on his shoulders.

"He is only 18 years old and he has a bright future. Sahabo will be one of the top players on the future. We shouldn't put so much burden on him now," he said.