Rwanda senior football team, Amavubi, beat Sudan 2-1 in a warm-up match at Kigali Stadium, Nyamirambo, on Monday. AS Kigali forwards Dominic Nshuti Savio and Bernabe Mubumbyi scored for the home team, while Saifedin Maki netted Sudan’s goal.
MondayRwanda 2-1 SudanCHAN 2018 qualifierAug. 12: First legUganda vs RwandaAug. 19: Second legRwanda vs Uganda
Rwanda senior football team, Amavubi, beat Sudan 2-1 in a warm-up match at Kigali Stadium, Nyamirambo, on Monday.
AS Kigali forwards Dominic Nshuti Savio and Bernabe Mubumbyi scored for the home team, while Saifedin Maki netted Sudan’s goal.
Both sides were using the match to prepare for their respective 2018 Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) third-round qualifiers.
Antoine Hey’s team started strongly and took the lead as early as the third minute when youngsters Kevin Muhire and Emmanuel Imanishimwe combined well to set up in-form Nshuti, who also scored against Tanzania in the last CHAN qualification round.
Muhire sent a well-placed pass to Imanishimwe from the left wing, and the latter eliminated two Sudanese defenders before laying the ball for Nshuti who found the back of the net with a cool finish.
After 15 minutes, the visitors started to take control of the proceedings and scored a deserved equaliser in the 25th minute through Saifedin Maki with a free header after Aimable ‘Mambo’ Rucogoza, Thierry Manzi and Aimable Nsabimana failed to clear the ball.
After conceding the goal, goalkeeper Marcel Nzarora came to Amavubi rescue on four occasions in one on one situations against Maki and Abdelrahman Maaz.
The Police custodian will start the CHAN qualifier against Uganda with Eric ‘Bakame’ Ndayishimiye suspended after receiving two yellow cards in the tie against Tanzania. APR midfielder Djihad Bizimana will wear the captain’s armband during the first leg in Kampala.
In the second half, Hey brought on Oliver Niyonzima for Muhire, Bernabe Mubumbyi for Nshuti, while Christophe ‘Abeddy’ Biramahire came on in the place of Innocent Nshuti.
Rwanda dominated the second half but Mubumbyi failed to maximise several chances until he finally netted the winner in the 75th minute heading home a well-taken free kick by Bizimana.
Fifteen minute to time, Hey took off Imanishimwe and Yanick Mukunzi and introduced JMV Muvandimwe and Amran Nshimiyimana.
Amavubi will travel to Uganda on Wednesday for the first leg game, which will be played at St. Marys Kitende on August 12, while the second leg will be played a week later in Kigali.
The Sudanese team were using the friendly match to prepare for their CHAN qualifier against Ethiopia in Addis Ababa.
The third round winners will represent Eastern and Central African Zone at next year’s finals tournament in Kenya – along with the host country.
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