2017 AFCON: Star-studded Ghana squad can punish us in all areas - Rwanda coach

Published on: 24 August 2015
2017 AFCON: Star-studded Ghana squad can punish us in all areas - Rwanda coach
Rwanda squad

Rwanda coach Brian McKinstry says they won't focus only on Ghana's key players Asamoah Gyan and Andre Ayew as all players of the Black Stars are capable of punishing his side.

The Wasps will clash with the Black Stars in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier next month in Kigali on 5 September.

Rwanda have named a 28-man squad for the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Ghana and the international friendly match against Ethiopia scheduled for September 6 and August 28 respectively.

The squad is dominated by home-based players while the few foreign-based players in the team ply their trade in Kenya and lowly placed sides in Europe.

Ghana's squad is expected to be dominated by foreign-based players who play for top clubs in the world and the Rwanda coach says they must prepare for all the Black Stars players.

"They (Ghana) have got so many good players in their team and we will not focus on one or two players because if we do so, somebody else will score the goal,” McKinstry.

"For us we will make sure that we are very much prepared as a team ; I don’t expect the game to be too different than the one we played against Mozambique.

"Mozambique had a lot of good movement and I expect Ghana to have a lot of better movements and for us we know we will be out to play 100% at every single position.

“If we got one player on the team who is not performing, Ghana are the type of team who will capitalize on that.

"We have got two weeks of training camp coming up and our players will be well prepared for the game but then it’s down to them on the match day to play to their maximum.

"And if they do, we can cause Ghana problems but we know it’s going to take a big performance from every single player on the day,” McKinstry added.

As part of preparations, Rwanda will face Ethiopia’s Walia Ibex in a FIFA international friendly match which will be played in Kigali on Friday 28 August, a week before Rwanda’s AFCON 2017 qualifying match with Ghana.

After the Ethiopia friendly, Rwanda will host the Black Stars of Ghana in Kigali while Ethiopia play away to Seychelles in the second round matches of the AFCON 2017 qualifiers.

The Black Stars too will play Congo in an international friendly before taking on Rwanda in their second group H game in Kigali.

The West African giants overpowered Mauritius 7-1 in their opening qualifier in Accra two months ago and at the same time ; Rwanda registered a 1-0 away win against Mozambique in Maputo.

Against Ghana, Rwanda will be seeking to register a good result against Ghana to be able to remain on course of qualifying for 2017 Africa Nations Cup finals to be held in Gabon.

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