Aug. 19: Second legRwanda Vs Uganda (0-3)

Amavubi head coach Antoine Hey has added APR new signing Ernest Sugira to the provisional 21-man squad as he prepares his team for what will be a near-impossible task against Uganda in the second leg of the 2018 CHAN third round qualifier on Saturday at Kigali Stadium.

Amavubi will be looking to overturn a 3-0 deficit from the first leg played last Saturday at St Marys Kitende Stadium in Kampala. Other players who did not take part in first leg but are in camp include; Ange Mutsinzi, Innocent Nshuti and Gilbert Mugisha.

Sugira joined Amavubi training camp on Monday morning alongside APR youngster Innocent Nshuti, who was left out of the final team for the first leg against Uganda. Sugira signed a one year-deal with Peace Cup holders as a free agent last week.

However, for the 26-year-old to play a part in the second leg, it will depend on whether APR secures his International Transfer Certificate (ITC) from his former club AS Vital Club before the matchday.

"We have a very difficult job to do because it is not easy to score three goals, but it’s not impossible. We will have to give our best to win in-front of our fans,” Sugira said after joining residential camp at Golden Tulip Hotel in Nyamata.

Amavubi will hold the first training session on Tuesday afternoon at Kigali Stadium.

In the first leg, striker Muzamir Mutyaba scored a brace in the 18th and 25th minutes while Derrick Nsibambi added the third goal for the hosts in the 49th minute to give Hey’s team a near-impossible task in the second leg. Meanwhile, Hey defended his players, noting that though young and inexperienced, they proved their worth and said he believed they will go into the second leg determined to turn the tie around.

 If they succeed, Rwanda will go through to the finals tournament scheduled for January 11 to February 2, 2018 in Kenya.

"The second leg will be different with a better surface. We lost 3-0 but we can do much better at our home ground. The playing surface (St Marys Kitende Stadium) was so bad, we could not play our normal game,” Hey said on Sunday.

The German admitted that the first goal (a penalty) that emanated from a controversial decision unsettled his charges whothey conceded a second ten minutes later, but he promised a better performance in Kigali.

Hey will be without experienced center-back Aimable Rucogoza and striker Bernabe Mubumbyi for the second leg after they both received second yellow cards on Saturday.

However, team captain and first choice goalkeeper, Eric ‘Bakame’ Ndayishimiye will be back in action after missing the first leg against Uganda through suspension.

The third round winners will qualify to represent the East and Central African Zone at next year’s finals tournament, alongside hosts Kenya.

Amavubi provisional squad:

Goalkeepers: Eric ‘Bakame’ Ndayishimiye, Marcel Nzarora and Yves Kimenyi.

Defenders: Aimable Nsabimana, Thierry Manzi, Soter Kayumba, Latif Bishira, Emmanuel Imanishimwe, Jean Marie Vianney Muvandimwe, Ange Mutsinzi and Eric Iradukunda.

Midfielders: Yannick Mukunzi, Djihad Bizimana, Olivier Niyonzima, Amran Nshimiyimana and Kevin Muhire.

Forwards: Dominique Savio Nshuti, Innocent Nshuti, Ernest Sugira, Gilbert Mugisha and Christophe ‘Abeddy’ Biramahire.

 editorial@newtimes.co.rw