The Rwanda men’s national team, Amavubi, will face Libya on November 14 in a must-win match to keep their hopes alive of qualifying for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals for the first time in 20 years.
Rwanda wants to build on their victory over Benin to continue the long journey of ending a 20-year AFCON drought.
Rwanda last participated in the Africa Cup of Nations in 2004 in Tunisia. Since then, the Amavubi have never been in a stronger position than they are now, to make a return to Africa’s top football tournament.
The Rwandan fans are anticipating the Amavubi’s match against the Mediterranean Knights, as the team have yet to experience a home defeat at the new Amahoro Stadium.
In the pre-match press conference, Djihad Bizimana urged Rwandans to support the team in their final home game and vowed to give their best on the field to make the fans proud.
“We urge Rwandans to come out and support us, as this is our final home match of the campaign.”He told the media.
Bizimana added, “The energy from the crowd has motivated us in previous matches, and we expect them to turn out in large numbers. We promise to make them proud.”
Coach Frank Torsten Spittler stated that the team is in high spirits and ready to build on their victory in the previous match.
“The situation is good, especially after we won our last match, and everyone is healthy.” Torsten noted. “We are ready for the challenge tomorrow.”
The match will take place this Wednesday at Amahoro Stadium, kicking off at 6 p.m. local time. After that, the team will fly to Nigeria for the final group game on November 18.
Rwanda is third in Group D with 5 points, trailing Nigeria (10 points) and Benin (6 points), while Libya is last with 1 point.
A win over Libya, combined with a Nigeria win against Benin, would elevate Amavubi to second place before the final game in Uyo against super eagles.
However, they must fight for a strong result against Nigeria in their final match; otherwise, Rwanda’s chances will depend not only on their own performance but also on the outcome of the Benin-Libya match, as only the top two teams in the group will qualify for the 2025 AFCON.
The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the 35th edition, will be held in Morocco from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026, due to the scheduling of the expanded FIFA Club World Cup in the summer.
