Hosts Rwanda got their African Nations Championship (CHAN) campaign off to a winning start with a 1-0 victory over Ivory Coast.
Rwandan defender Emery Bayisenge scored the game’s only goal on 15 minutes.
The Amavubi had a chance to go 2-0 up on the hour mark but the Elephants’ goalkeeper Badra Ali Sangare managed to keep it out.
Despite that miss, the hosts went on to secure a crucial opening win in front of their home fans in Kigali.
The tournament for locally-based players is the biggest sporting event Rwanda has ever hosted.
It involves 16 teams playing in three cities – with the capital Kigali, as well as Gisenyi in the west and Butare in the south all hosting games.
The hosts performed well in the run-up to the tournament and Northern Irish coach Johnny McKinstry will be pleased to see his team carry that form into the finals.
The Elephants, meanwhile, are making their third appearance at this tournament and have yet to get beyond the group stage.
The Ivorians are the reigning Africa Cup of Nations champions, but that was achieved with a squad that included only one home-based player.
Gabon and Morocco drew 0-0 in the day’s other Group A gameon Saturday.
Bushe ZNBC ilecita televise this tornament?
Ghana Tv will be televising the games. so u can catch it on free to air
Give me da frequency of that ghana tv. I only watch senegal tv in my muvi decoder which only televises an 18:00 hrs match, meaning I will not watch the battle of Zambezi at 15:00 hrs 2moro. Am waiting pliz!
But it will be at the same time, so u will miss out too. and the feed from Ghana tv is in black & white with showers
In my opinion the game between the host Rwanda and Ivory Coast was not interesting and lacked that extra creativity from the players which sparks and ignites the game into excitement. Generally low in quality i must add.
ZNBC is on the campaign trail! Maybe they start televising after September! try them then!
all de best to amabvubi stars!
This tournament is just as useless as cosafa.
Just like Ghana… All the good n even up coming players r sold to European teams. Hence leaving very little talent in the country…. Unlike Rwanda which has so many of it’s good players playing on the African continent… It’s not much of a surprise.. I won’t call it stunned
Congrats Rwanda. Atleast a another positive result from central africa.At one time nigeria did not qualify for world becouse of Rwanda.
John just shut up…..Get a life mahn…..