Kigali: Rwanda’s men national football team has lined up a friendly match with the Leopards of DR Congo due in Kinshasa on September 18 as part of preparations for both nations ahead of the 2020 Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) final qualifying matches scheduled later this month.
The friendly match which will be staged at Stade des Martyrs is aimed at preparing DR Congo who are in line to face Central Africa Republic in their first leg match due on October 18 while Rwanda will be taking on Ethiopia in the first leg due on September 22 in Mekelle city.
The Amavubi CHAN team will play against DR Congo in Kinshasa on September 18 before departing on September 19 to Addis Ababa.
Both Rwanda and DR Congo were last in action in 2016 when they met in the quarter final round of the CHAN tournament which was held in Kigali-Rwanda. Rwanda lost the crucial tie 1-2 at Stade Amahoro.
Rwanda is in the third round after being exempted from participating in the first round of the 2020 Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) in a new format which was released by CAF in July.
Rwanda which is well ranked in CECAFA region following its participation in the two previous editions held in Rwanda and Morocco respectively, needs to win over two legs to snatch an automatic qualification to qualify for the continent’s second biggest football event for a fourth time – and a third time in a row – having participated at the 2011 edition in Sudan, the 2016 competition in Rwanda and the 2018 finals tournament staged in Morocco.
With the first leg against Ethiopia scheduled on September 22, 2019, the return leg leg has been set on October 19, 2019.
The 2020 African Nations Championship (CHAN), a competition that is designed for players featuring in their respective domestic leagues, will be held in Cameroon. (Fin)