Rwanda national football team head coach Johnny McKinstry has signed a two -year contract extension ahead of the 2017 AFCON encounter with Mauritius due on Saturday.

The 30-year Northern Irishman will be in charge of Amavubi until 2018. The former Sierra Leone tactician took over the Amavubi in March 2015.

McKinstry will continue his work to develop the men’s national team, as well as the National U23 team.

The appointment comes on the back of a number of keys successes in McKinstry’s first year of tenure.

McKinstry confirmed the signing of the new deal, during a press conference on Wednesday, "I have signed a contract extension for the next two years.”

"A key factor in my decision to come to Rwanda a year ago was the potential that I saw to develop the Rwanda national team. In the last 12 months we have already begun to demonstrate what is possible. That journey is however only beginning and so I’m delighted to be able to have agreed a new two-year deal.”

He further explains, "A key part of me being persuaded to accept a new contract was that FERWAFA, the Ministry, and the Government more especially, were willing to agree to support my vision for the key step that are required to allow the Amavubi to progress to the next stage of their development.”

"The confidence, combined with overwhelming support we have seen from Amavubi fans in recent games, will provide our young squad of players with the best chance to further develop their potential.”

He further went on to acknowledge that progress however is never easy, "In competitive games, we will be tasked with overcoming opponents who traditionally rank much higher than us. The coming two years have the potential to be a very exciting period for football in Rwanda.”

McKinstry defied the odds at the beginning of this year to finish top of Group A after the opening two games of CHAN 2016 when he defeated continental giants Ivory Coast 1-0 in the opener.  

He however suffered a major setback when Amavubi were stunned by Libya 3-0 at home to drop out in the 2018 Fifa World Cup qualifiers in Kigali having lost 1-0 in Tunisia in the first leg.

McKinstry will be hoping to celebrate his new contract with a win over Mauritius in the 2017 AFCON qualifiers double header, starting with the first leg away on Saturday before hosting the return leg three days later in Kigali.

 Amavubi defeated Mozambique 1-0 in the first qualifier in Maputo last June before losing to Ghana by a similar score line in Kigali. Rwanda is second with three points, three behind leaders Ghana from two matches.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw