Despite losing 1-0 to West African side Burkina Faso in a Fifa international friendly match on Friday in Rabat, Amavubi head coach Johhny McKinstry said he was pleased with the team’s performance.

The game featured domestic-based players on both sides as Rwanda and Burkina Faso prepared for the 2016 Africa Nations Championship (CHAN).

McKinstry said, “Obviously, it’s not the result that we wanted but performance wise the players played very well especially in the first half. The football that we played, bringing it out from the back creating many passes and moving the ball was the best football that we have played since I arrived,”

“We said that after playing against Mozambique and Ghana, we wanted to start having more of the ball in possessing and attacking and we did that very well today but the one thing that was missing was the delivery into the penalty box and the crossing from all wide players and it’s was not good enough but we they have quality only that today was not their best day,”

“Overall we are pleased with the performance but we need to make sure that when we are dominating, we should turn that into goals,” added McKinstry.

Amavubi started the game with high intensity forcing Burkina Faso to play in their own half for longer periods of the game with striker Isaie Songa being the main culprit as he failed to score many of the attempts created in the first half.

Midfielder Djihad Bizimana and Jean Claude Iranzi had their best chances saved by Burkinable goalie Baillou Mohamed as Amavubi hunted for first half goals which were all in vain.

Burkina Faso had the first chance of the match from Emmanuel Gora with Eric Ndayishimiye there to clear from danger to keep the scores on goalless draw going into recess.

Jean Claude Iranzi opened the second half with a serious hunt for goal but his attempt went wide after beating two defenders at the edge of the goal area. Five minutes later Songa’s header from Jacques Tuyisenge’s cross went wide too.

Coach McKinstry then beefed up his midfield with Rodrigue Murengezi replacing Hegman Ngomirakiza and Michel Ndahinduka for Songa.

A few minutes later, Yacouba Songne connected a set piece from Nabi Daouda at the edge of the box, beating Faustin Usengimana to score past Ndayishimiye putting Burkina Faso ahead in the 75th minute.

In desperate search of the equaliser, Mohamed Mushimiyimana and Innocent Habyarimana entered the fray with 18 minutes to go, replacing Iranzi and Djihad Bizimana.

With ten minutes to the end of the game, Burkina Faso decided to play from behind to ensure a clean sheet over the Rwandan side as Amavubi pressed forward for a late equalizer.

With three minutes to stoppage time, Habyarimana curved a free kick into Burkina Faso’s penalty area following Outtara Mohmed’s foul on Fitina Omborenga but the ball was high for Rwandan players to head past Burkina Faso’s Bailou Mohamed.

Rwanda next face Tunisia’s Olympic team on Sunday at Maamoura training centre at 16:30.

Fifa Friendly Fixtures
Friday
Rwanda 0-1 Burkina Faso

Sunday
Rwanda vs Tunisia U23
Source: Ferwafa.rw

@bonfaceosano

Bonface Osano

African Football Writer contributing @Soka25east | Commentator; appeared on @MySoccerAfrica, @KweseSports, @ntvkenya, others | Keen follower of African Football. E-mail: bonfaceosano@gmail.com