Amavubi will visit the Atlantic Ocean Islanders for the third match of Group G looking for the first win
Rwanda head coach Vincent Mashami is set to miss Solomon Nirisarike for the Cape Verde Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifier after testing positive for the coronavirus.
Nirisarike has already started the mandatory 14-day self-isolation, a process that has automatically ruled him out of the upcoming qualifier in November.
“Unfortunately he won’t be a part of the team, he is Covid-19 positive and that will take up to two weeks or more to recover,” Rwanda’s team manager Jackson Rutayisire told The New Times.
“The coach has enough alternatives in his position, I think his absence will not do much harm.”
Nirisarike, playing for Pyunik of Armenia, is among the 10 foreign-based players that were called up – in a provisional squad that comprises 37 players – for the upcoming qualifiers.
The first qualifier will be held on November 11 in Praia before the return leg six days later in Kigali.
Amavubi are yet to win a game in Group G that also has Cameroon and Mozambique. They lost 2-0 to OS Mambas before going down 2-1 to the Indomitable Lions almost one year ago.
Simba SC’s Meddie Kagere was the first foreign-based player to join the squad on Wednesday while the US-based central defender Abdul Rwatubyaye was expected to jet in on Thursday, October 29.
Steven Rubanguka – who is based in Greece and earned his first call-up – is expected at the national team’s camp on November 1.
Haruna Niyonzima, Ally Niyonzima, Kevin Muhire, Djihad Bizimana and Yannick Mukunzi are the other foreign-based stars expected in camp before November 4 to boost Mashami’s winless side.
Meanwhile, 11 national players from Rwandan Premier League champions APR are expected to remain with the club until November 2.
APR were declared winners of the league when it was cancelled by Ferwafa mid this year due to the coronavirus pandemic and that gave them the automatic Caf Champions League slot.
The army outfit was allowed to start training for the continental competition since early October.
The exclusion of their players from the national side’s initial training sessions is also meant to give them ample time to train at club level.
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