AMAVUBI striker Olivier Karekezi has paid glowing tribute to interim coach Eric Nshimiyimana following Sunday’s 1-0 away win over Benin.

Having losing the first leg 3-0 and succumbing to a humiliating 5-0 defeat against Ivory Coast, the bookies were against Amavubi in Porto Novo.

But Nshimiyimana’s gamble to play Meddie Kagere paid off when the Police striker scored the match winner as early as the 6th minute.

Karekezi, who was the stand-in-captain for the match, heaped huge praise on Nshimiyimana saying that his vast knowledge of the players played a big role in the win.

"He (Nshimiyimana) was the architect of the win. The team selection and tactics was spot on,” the 28-year-old, who recently reconciled with Nshimiyimana, said.

"He knows the players very well, their abilities and weakness and that is very important.”

Nshimiyimana is now certain to use the win as a bargaining chip for the job on a permanent basis.

23 coaches are vying for the post, with a new coach expected to be named before the start of the 2014 World Cup qualifiers next month.

The win moved Rwanda into second place in Group H above Benin and Burundi who finished joint fourth with four points. Ivory Coast topped the group with 18 points, 12 clear of Rwanda.

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