Haruna cautions Amavubi ahead of CHAN return leg
Monday, August 29, 2022
National Football team captain Haruna Niyonzima has warned his teammates not to be complacent in the return leg of 2023 CHAN qualifier against Ethiopia. Courtesy

The national football team captain Haruna Niyonzima has warned his teammates not to be complacent in the return leg of 2023 CHAN qualifier against Ethiopia.

Amavubi was held to a goalless draw by Ethiopia at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Friday and the team will be gunning for a win in the return leg in Huye on Saturday.

The tie was held in Tanzania because the country doesn't have a stadium that meets the criteria set by the Africa Confederation body, CAF.

"We’re happy we didn’t concede, but we have a big job at home and I have told my colleagues not to take this tie for granted. We need to make the most of home advantage,” Niyonzima said.

Rwanda has played in four CHAN finals, and twice (2016 and 2021) reached the quarter-finals, out of seven editions of the competition since 2009.

The country hopes to make its fifth appearance in Africa’s second biggest international tournament, which is reserved for only players featuring in their respective domestic leagues.

Algeria will organize the eighth edition from January 8 to January 31, 2023.