Wednesday, September 4
Libya vs Rwanda
Kickoff: 6pm
Venue: June 11 Stadium, Tripoli
Rwanda begins their 2025 AFCON qualifying campaign with a trip to the June 11 Stadium where they will face Libya on Wednesday, September 4.
The Group D opening game promises to be an exciting one both teams hoping for a bright start to the qualifiers before facing Nigeria and Benin respectively.
Libya have been a better side during their past eight meetings, winning five times and drawing twice and losing once.
Amavubi's only win came on May 31, 2014, when they thrashed the North Africans 3-0 in Kigali in a 2015 AFCON qualifier. They were, however, made to forfeit the game after CAF found out that Dadi Birori, who netted a hat trick on the day, was ineligible to play for Rwanda.
Prior to Wednesday's game, Libya beat Botswana 1-0 in a friendly game last weekend. The game served as a preparatory outing ahead of the Amavubi clash.
It will be a tale of two teams with cracked defense. While Amavubi has conceded just one goal in their six games in all competitions, the Mediterranean Knights have also scored 14 goals and conceded 6 in 7 games in 2024.
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Libya are coached by Serbian tactician Milutin Micho Sredojevic who handled Rwanda from 2011 to 2013. Since taking over Libya in October 2023, he has lost just once in 11 games.
Meanwhile, Amavubi coach Frank Torsten Spittler who took over around the same period has also lost one game in 6 games.
It will be a tactical game with two well-versed coaches who always make sure their back is tight.
Player for player, the current Amavubi group which includes the likes of Fiacre Ntwari, Djihad Bizimana, Jojea Kwizera and Ange Mutsinzi are slightly above their Libyan opponents whose majority of their squad are players selected from clubs the domestic league.
However, in terms of coordination, the Libyans form a great unit as they play in the same league. They know each other's strength and weaknesses.
Form during the past six games (all competitions)
Libya form: WWWDWL
Rwanda form: DWDWLW