2014 World Cup Qualifier

Today, Group HMali vs Rwanda, 8pmBenin vs Algeria

BOTTOM of the table Rwanda will be hoping to win their first World Cup qualifying match when they take on second-placed Mali on Sunday night at the Bamako International Stadium at 8pm CAT.

The two teams come into the game under contrasting situations with Mali having continued on their good showing from the African Cup of Nations and on course to progress to the next qualifying round, while Rwanda are playing for pride.

The Mali Eagles are joint top of Group H with Algeria on six points, two points ahead of Benin in third place.

Mali and Rwanda meet with new faces on their respective benches since their first leg 2014 World Cup Group H qualifier on March 24.

With no win bottom placed Rwanda begin life without coach Milutin Micho Sredojevic, who was sacked after the home loss against Mali and is now in charge of Uganda.

Rwanda will be under coach Eric Nshimiyimana, who is well aware that his side is out of the race after picking up just one point from their last three games, but hopes to win the game and continue building a solid team which will face Ethiopia in the CHAN qualifiers due net month.

"We are going to Mali for a positive result though we still have nothing to fight for in as far as qualifying for next year’s World Cup final is concerned,” the former Rwandan international midfielder told the local press before the team’s departure on Thursday.

 "We will be aiming for any kind of good result as we use the platform to reach the level and ability of our current crop of players need,” added Nshimiyimana, who has twice secured away wins as an interim coach in the past.

This is the third time that Nshimiyimana will be trying to prove his critics wrong as an interim coach while managing away matches. Whether he wins or not, Nshimiyimana holds the record for winning two away matches.

Interim coaches

In 2009, he was made interim coach after Branko Tucak’s contract was terminated following the team’s dismal performances in the 2010 World Cup/Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. 

He helped Amavubi reach the final of the Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup in Nairobi, Kenya. 

In 2011, Nshimiyimana was again given the interim coaching role when Ghanaian Sellas Tetteh resigned after a run of disappointing results that included a humiliating 5-0 home defeat to Ivory Coast. 

He went on to help Rwanda snatch a 1-0 win over Benin in the last Africa Nations’ Cup qualifying match.

Mali for a start, begin life without coach Patrice Carteron. who departs after 10 months in charge.

Carteron leaves Mali after leading them to a third place finish at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa to coach DR Congo club TP Mazembe late last month.

The Frenchman also departs Mali at critical point on the road to Brazil when they are hoping to keep pace with Group H leaders Algeria.

Second placed Mali are tied on six points with Algeria heading into match day four of the Africa zone qualifiers this weekend.

But Carteron has left them on a high after recording two successive wins that began with a 2-1 home win over Algeria before beating Rwanda by the same margin away in March.

Pathe Diallo will take charge of this weekend’s game but also has other concerns heading into the match.

There are injury concerns for QPR midfielder Samba Diakite, defenders Abdoulaye Maiga of USM Algier and Ousmane Coulibaly from French club Brest.

Rwanda lie bottom of the standings with one point with three matches remaining. The remaining matches include two away games against Mali and Benin and a home tie against Algeria.