Build up Match

Yesterday

Amavubi   0-0    U-20

Amavubi Stars head coach Tucak Blanko has  axed Bonaventure Hategikimana ‘Gangi’ from the squad on disciplinary grounds.

The Rayon Sports defender was replaced by APR’s Jean Bosco Uwacu ahead of the 2010 World Cup/African Nations Cup first qualifiers against Mauritania on May 31 in Kigali.

The big defender was axed from the squad on Tuesday morning after storming from the team camp due at Alpha Palace accusing the Croatian born coach of being insulting.

"The coach is so abusive towards players and I stormed from camp because I could not take it anymore.”

"Anyway, does he think that insulting players or treating them like kids help improve the team’s poor performances,” wondered the veteran defender.

Apart from Hategikimana, who was brave enough to come and talk about reports of mistreatment of players at the hands of the Croat, several other players who preferred anonymity have also sounded their dissatisfaction with the manner in which they are being treated.

Since taking over as Amavubi’s head coach a bout a month ago, players have complained about Tucak’s lack of respect for them and that he ever appreciates whatever they do. No sooner had Hategekimana stormed out of the team’s camp than Tucak summed Uwacu to replace him.

The APR fullback played in Amavubi team’s goalless draw against the national U-20 team yesterday at Remera artificial turfed stadium and he didn’t disappoint.

Amavubi team’s goalless draw with the junior side was characterized by poor finishing especially on the senior side.

James Uwimana and Peter Kagabo led Tucak’s attack in the first half and they were disappointing and the same can be said for their replacements, Abedi Mulenda and Elias Uzamukunda for the second period.

Both Tucak and Obradovic Tomislav, the U-20 coach used this game to assess their players ahead of the 2010 World Cup/African Nations Cup qualifiers and the 2009 Africa Youth Championship respectively.

Rwanda engages Mauritania in her first qualifying campaign on May 31. Other countries in Rwanda’s group eight include; Morocco and Ethiopia.  

Rwanda will face Ethiopia away in Addis Ababa on June 7 before hosting the Atlas Lions a week later. The Amavubi Stars will then fly to Rabat on June 21 for a return leg against the North African giants.

On September 7, the 2007 Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup losing finalists head to Nouakchott for the second leg against Mauritania before winding up their campaign with a home game against Ethiopia on October 12.

Ends