Amavubi set for two-week Morocco training camp

The National football team (Amavubi) will hold a two-week training camp in Morocco in preparation for the 2018 World Cup qualifier against Libya next month. The camp is also expected to prepare the team ahead of the upcoming 2016 African Nations Championship (CHAN) that will be held in Rwanda from January 16-February 7, next year. The camp which will run from October 4-14 will see the Amavubi play two friendly games with the locally based players involved in the first one on October 9 before the A-team which will comprise foreign-based players play on October 13. A 23-man Amavubi squad including foreign-based players will leave Kigali immediately after the Rwanda Premier League games on October 4 and are scheduled to arrive in Casablanca the following morning. Rwanda head coach Johnny McKinstry told Times Sport in an exclusive interview that, “This is yet another good opportunity to get the players together on the training pitch and build on previous work. It was important that we organised this camp to address a couple of our issues moving forward.” The Irish trainer revealed that it was very important that this camp focuses on both tournaments. He said, “It is easy at times to only focus on one thing but that would be to our disadvantage in the long run. The ability to give attention to both our CHAN preparations as well as prepare adequately for Libya is very important.” Amavubi were drawn against Libya in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers with both sides sharing the spoils in a goalless draw in Tunisia in the first leg. However, a 3-0 emphatic victory in Kigali in the return leg courtesy of a Dady Birori hattrick saw the Amavubi eliminate the 2014 CHAN champions who were seen as favourites. McKinstry is keen to registering a positive result when Amavubi take on Libya in Tripoli before hosting them in Kigali with both games to be played within the November 7-19 timeline. A fortnight after the return game against Libya, the Amavubi will compete in the CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup that will be held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia before they return home to prepare for the highly anticipated CHAN. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

Sports

Amavubi set for two-week Morocco training camp