By Staff Reporter,
Rwanda’s Amavubi will face off with Ethiopia’s Walia ibex in a Fifa international friendly game scheduled to be played in Kigali on August 28, 2015 www.soka25east.com can confirm.
The match will be used as preparation by both sides for the upcoming 2017 Africa Nations Cup qualifier against Ghana and Seychelles respectively .
The Rwanda Football Federation (FERWAFA) Secretary General Me. Jean Olivier Mulindahabi confirmed the development on Tuesday.
He told www.ferwafa.rw, “Ethiopia Football Federation sent us a request asking if they can play our national team on Friday, August 28 and there was nothing that could stop us from agreeing to their request,”
“They have a good national team and we believe they will give our national team a good test as we prepare for the Africa Nations Cup qualifier against Ghana next month as well the 2016 Africa Nations Championship (CHAN),” added Mulindahabi.
Amavubi who are ranked 91st in the World and 24th in Africa according to August’s FIFA Rankings is expected to start residential camp in preparation for the upcoming assignments on August 23, 2015.
The game against Walia ibex will leave Amavubi in a good shape ready to face Ghana, a game in which Rwanda will be seeking to register a good result to be able to remain on course of qualifying for 2017 Africa Nations Cup finals to be held in Gabon.
Currently ranked 95th in the world according to the FIFA World Rankings and 26th in CAF, Ethiopia is currently under head coach Yohannes Sahle who has been at the helm since April 2015. Under the previous coach Sewnet Bishaw, the team succeeded in qualifying for the 2013 African Cup of Nations after a 31-year absence and also reaching the World Cup 2014 play offs where they lost to Nigeria.
Sahle last week intimated to Soka25east.com that he was looking to get a friendly game ahead of the important game against Seychelles “we are very optimistic we will get a good side for a practice match that will go along way in ensuring we prepare well enough ahead of Seychelles”
After the Ethiopia friendly, Rwanda will host the Black Stars of Ghana in the second Group H qualifier in Kigali on September 5 before facing 2017 Africa Nation’s Cup hosts Gabon on September 12 in Kigali in build-up game for the continental championship which will be held in Kigali from January 18 to February 7, 2016.
Rwanda is second in Group H with three points, level with table leaders Ghana but the Black Stars have a better goal difference having hammered hapless Mauritius 7-1 in the opening qualifier while Amavubi won 1-0 away to Mozambique.
Scheduled Matches :
Fifa Friendly Match
August 28 : Rwanda vs Ethiopia
Afcon Group H qualifier
September 5 : Rwanda vs Ghana
Fifa Friendly match
September 12 : Rwanda vs Gabon
