In their quest for a spot at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, Rwanda’s national football team, Amavubi, secured a valuable 1-1 draw against Libya in a Group D match held at Tripoli Stadium on Wednesday, September 4, 2024. This encounter marked the opening round of the qualification campaign for both teams.
Libya, eager to impress their home fans, started the match with determination, dominating possession and frequently pressing the Rwandan defense. Their efforts paid off in the 15th minute when Subhi Al Dawi opened the scoring. Al Dawi skillfully dribbled past the Amavubi defenders before unleashing a powerful shot that left Rwanda’s goalkeeper, Fiacre Ntwari, with no chance.
Despite falling behind, Rwanda responded by intensifying their attacks, although they struggled to convert their chances into goals. In the 6th minute, Nshuti Innocent found himself in a promising position after receiving a well-placed pass from Mugisha Gilbert. However, the Libyan defenders quickly closed him down, preventing him from getting a clean shot on goal.
As the first half progressed, Rwanda’s head coach, Torsten Frank Spittler, made a tactical substitution in the 40th minute, bringing on Samuel Gueulette to replace Jojea Kwizera. The first half ended with Libya holding onto their 1-0 lead.
Rwanda came out strong in the second half, showing renewed vigor. Their persistence paid off just two minutes after the restart, when Nshuti Innocent equalized for Amavubi. The forward expertly chested down a superb cross from captain Djihad Bizimana before slotting it past the Libyan goalkeeper. This goal shifted the momentum of the match, with Libya intensifying their efforts to regain the lead. However, Rwanda’s goalkeeper, Fiacre Ntwari, made a crucial save to deny Ahmed Ekrawa’s close-range attempt.
In pursuit of a winning goal, Rwanda made further substitutions, with Rubanguka Steve being replaced by Mugisha Bonheur in the 65th minute. On the Libyan side, head coach Milutin Sredojević introduced Mohamed Bettamer in place of Nour Al Qulaib to bolster their attack.
In the final minutes, both teams pushed hard for a decisive goal. Libya launched several attacks, but Rwanda’s defense, led by Mutsinzi Ange, stood firm. Mutsinzi made a critical clearance to deny Tariq Bishara from setting up Ekrawa for what could have been a match-winning goal.
The match concluded in a 1-1 draw, a result that earned Rwanda a crucial point in their quest to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. Amavubi’s next challenge will be against Nigeria on Tuesday, a match that will take place in Rwanda and could prove pivotal in their journey to Morocco in 2025.
