Nshimiyimana calls for patience after Cecafa exit

AMAVUBI head coach Eric Nshimiyimana believes patience from the football fraternity will help Amavubi grow into a formidable and strong team despite failing to go past the quarter final stage of the GoTv Cecafa Challenge Cup.The coach argues that this will help build a strong team which can consistently compete at the highest level in the future. “We need to give players time and try to build a strong side. We are now happy because our players have started to gain confidence. They are playing from defense to midfield and creating a number of goal scoring chances but finishing is still our major problem. So we need to work on the issue of scoring goals and this can’t be solved today, it will take time,” Nshimiyimana said in an interview with Times Sport. “It is only through engaging them in many practices and playing many more matches together that will help us achieve better results,” said the former APR and Amavubi Stars skipper. He added that it is too early to judge the players because they still have a lot to learn and the future looks bright. “We have to know that we have good players but they need more exposure and experience. I believe if we give them more playing time, they will bring back smiles to the nation,” He called on coaches to work together in first or second division leagues in order to groom good strikers.“Strikers must be unearthed right from our leagues, we will never give birth to strikers on the national team level,” added Nshimiyimana. Rwanda lost two games in group stage to Uganda and Sudan 1-0 and 1-0 respectively before beating Eritrea 1-0 courtesy of Michel Ndahinduka’s goal to qualify to the quarter finals where they lost 1-0 to hosts Kenya to bow out of the GoTv Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup. Meanwhile, skipper Niyonzima Haruna blamed unfair officiating for their 0-1 loss to Kenya’s Harambee Stars in the quarter finals. “We played well and losing is part of the game but the referees should be fair. Today (Saturday), he was not fair enough; awarding the penalty that never was,” stated Niyonzima. Niyonzima further thanked his team mates for a good show in the tournament and called on the nation and the federation to continue supporting them.

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Nshimiyimana calls for patience after Cecafa exit