By Richard Bishumba
Rwanda national football team head coach Johnny McKinstry is expected to announce today the provisional squad for the AFCON 2017 Group H qualifier against Ghana slated for September 5 in Kigali.
McKinstry's team will play an international friendly match against Ethiopia on August 28 in Kigali.
The provisional squad, which is expected to be dominated by home-based players, will also include foreign-based professionals such as team captain Haruna Niyonzima (Yanga), Jean Baptiste Mugiraneza (Azam FC) and Gor Mahia left-back Abouba Sibomana.
According to FERWAFA secretary-general Olivier Mulindahabi, center-backs Emery Bayisenge, who recently joined Austria's second division side Lask Linz FC, and Salomon Nirisarike (Saint-Trond) will not be available due to busy schedules with their respective clubs.
Nonetheless, McKinstry could also hand Swiss-based striker Quentin Rushenguziminega (Lausane Sports) his maiden international cap.
The September 5 clash will be the first between Rwanda and Ghana since 2003 when both teams were in the same group for the AFCON 2004 qualifiers.
At the time, the Black Stars won the first leg in Accra 4-1 but Amavubi, under Serbian coach Ratomir Dujkovi?, stunned their more illustrious opponents 1-0, earning a historic berth at the AFCON finals in Tunisia.
After the first round of qualifiers for AFCON 2017, Ghana lead Group H with three points, level with Rwanda but the former have a better goal difference.
The Black Stars walloped Mauritius 7-1 in Accra while Amavubi defeated Mozambique 1-0 in Maputo.