Duo given nod for Morocco tie

Albert Nyumbayire and Jean Bosco Uwacu have been included on the Amavubi Stars team which faces Morocco in the 2010 World/Africa Cup qualifier this weekend.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Albert Nyumbayire and Jean Bosco Uwacu have been included on the Amavubi Stars team which faces Morocco in the 2010 World/Africa Cup qualifier this weekend.

The talented Rayon Sport midfielder, Nyumbayire and the inconsistent APR defender, Uwacu trained with Amavubi Stars this week after being summoned as cover for the missing Mbuyu Twite and Ismail Nshutinamagara.

Mbuyu (Eric Gasana) and Nshutinamagara are suspended for Saturday’s return leg after being sent off and booked respectively during last Saturday’s meeting between the two sides at Nyamirambo stadium.

Nyumbayire’s call up is also seen as a tactic to add some physical presence to the Amavubi midfield that overran the Atlas Lions.

The experienced Nyumbayire is a big lad who can mix it in physically for possession and territory.

On form, he is a good ball carrier and distributor and also good in defense though he at times tends to be too casual.

He has variously been used in the Amavubi on left and right side of the midfield as well as a holding midfielder. It is the latter position that he will likely take up in Casablanca.

Nyumbayire last featured for Amavubi Stars during the Africa Nations Championship in April while Uwacu was in the Blanko Tucak’s squad for the game against Mauritania.

However, the sad news for Tucak is that fact that defender Boubakary Saddou has failed to recover in time to travel to Morocco and is likely to be left behind.

With Nshutinamagara out of the squad, either Aimable Rucogoza or Arafat Serugendo will start in central defence alongside Hamad Ndikumana.

Apart from the central defence area, Tucak is not expected to make further changes from the team that beat Morocco 3-1.

Rwanda can become the first country to qualify to the third round with a win in Casablanca.

The Amavubi Stars lead group eight with nine points, three points ahead of Atlas Lions of Morocco. Ethiopia is third with three points while Mauritania is bottom without a point.

Ends