We are not afraid of Amavubi, says DR Congo coach Ibenge

DR Congo national team head coach Florent Ibenge has said his team is not scared of facing Rwanda in an Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) quarterfinal encounter on Saturday at Amahoro national stadium. Cameroon beat DR Congo 3-1 in a thrilling Group B match at Huye Stadium on Monday to top the group with seven points and book their place in the quarterfinals. They will play Côte d’Ivoire. “It is clear that it is not easy to face a host country-that is a football reality, but we have been eliminated in the quarterfinals in the last two editions (2011 and 2014) and we don’t want to suffer the same fate, so we shall go out our way to overcome any challenge,” Ibenge said in a post-match interview The 2009 edition champions failed to go past the quarterfinal stages in the 2011 edition that was hosted in Sudan before crashing out again in the quarters of the 2014 edition that was hosted in South Africa. “We are not afraid of Amavubi because football is not about fear, instead it’s about competition and joy. Our priority now is to qualify for the semi-finals and possibly the final regardless of the opponent,” added Ibenge. The tie comes just within a two-week period since the two countries’ latest encounter in a CHAN 2016 last warm-up game played at Umuganda Stadium in Rubavu District which Amavubi won 1-0. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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We are not afraid of Amavubi, says DR Congo coach Ibenge