Rwanda’s national women’s team takes on Ethiopia in today’s must-win Match Day three of the Cecafa Women Challenge Cup.
Head Coach Jean Baptiste Kayiranga has called a must-win as the hosts look for their second consecutive victory.
The game starts at 4:30pm at Kigali Stadium.
Rwanda got off to a flying start to the tournament by stunning defending champions Tanzania 1-0 on Thursday last week, courtesy of Alice Kalimba’s header in the 34th minute.
While Rwanda are seeking their second win, they will have to overcome stiff opposition from the 2016 finalists Ethiopia, who lost 2-1 to Uganda on Saturday in their first match of the tournament.
Meanwhile, it was a second successive victory for the Uganda who had beaten Kenya 1-0 in the tournament’s opener last Thursday.
The last meeting between Rwanda and Ethiopia ended 3-2 in favour of the Ethiopians. Kayiranga knows a win will keep them in the title race before facing Kenya and Uganda in the last two games.
“There’s nothing big. We have to stick to our game plan and being able to adjust depending on who we are playing. We know Ethiopia is a good team, we have to be at the best of our football to come out on top – and we are ready for the challenge,” Kayiranga said.
The hosts Rwanda, defending champions Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia are taking part in the Fifa-sponsored championship which will climax on July 28 in Kigali.
Meanwhile, Uganda’s Crested Cranes secured control of the Cecafa Women Challenge Cup standings after registering two wins out of two matches in the ongoing tournament in Kigali City.
The Crested Cranes handled by Faridah Bulega defeated favourites Ethiopia 2-1 to sit at the helm of the standings with six points.
The determined ladies came from behind with Left fullback Grace Aluka canceling an earlier Ethiopian goal scored by skipper Ware Birtukan to go into half time tied on a 1-all draw.
In the second half, Yudaya Nakayenze was on the mark with a header after a free kick was delivered by right back Viola Namuddu to secure a vital victory for the Crested Cranes.
The victory for the Crested Cranes came after they dislodged neighbors and rivals Kenya on Thursday with a 1-0 victory.
Uganda will return to action on Monday against Tanzania in a tournament played on a round robin basis while Ethiopia will be up against Kenya on Wednesday.
In another game, Kenya and Tanzania played to a 1-all draw. Tanzania’s Kilimanjaro Queens snatched the lead courtesy of Daniel Donisia in the 13th minute before Mwanalima Adam notched an equalizer straight from a corner kick seven minutes later.
In the opening game, Kenya lost to Uganda 0-1 while Tanzania lost to hosts Rwanda 0-1, meaning that both nations have one point each.
In second spot of the standings is hosts Rwanda with three points. Rwanda will be in action on Monday when they face Ethiopia in the second game of the day while Uganda and Tanzania will be locking horns in the first match of the day.
The hosts Rwanda, defending champions Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia are taking part in the Fifa-sponsored championship which will climax on July 28 in Kigali.
Kenya played out a 1-1 draw with defending champions Tanzania in her second match of the 2018 CECAFA Women Championships. The match was played on Saturday, July 21, 2018, at the Stade Regional Nyamirambo in Kigali, Rwanda.
Tanzania was the first on the scoresheet courtesy of a curling shot from the left flank by Daniel Donisia in the 13th minute. The lead only lasted seven minutes, however, with Mwanahalima Adam’s notching an equalizer straight from a corner kick. Starlets efforts to snatch a winning goal failed to bear fruits, with the defending champions holding tight to see both sides come out with a share of the spoils.