Rwanda will make Nigeria work hard, says coach
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Rwanda will make Nigeria work hard, says coach
Rwanda will make Nigeria work hard, says coach
By Eniwoke Ibagere
ABUJA, June 4 (Reuters) - Rwanda national team coach Serbian Ratomir Dujkovic has promised his Nigerian opponents a difficult match in Saturday's 2006 World Cup Group Four African zone qualifier.
The game is the first meeting between both sides and the Rwandans come into the match with impressive performances last year and a debut outing at the 2004 African Nations Cup which won them the African Memorable Achievement Award.
"No doubt the Nigerians are a great side and favourites in the group, but they will have their hands full on Saturday," Dujkovic told Reuters in Abuja, venue of the match.
"Our preparations in the Ivory Coast put us in good shape, so if the Nigerians are going to win at all, they will find it really, really tough," he added.
Angola, Algeria, Gabon and Zimbabwe complete the group from which only the top team will qualify for the finals in Germany.
Dujkovic said his players were excited about their debut in the World Cup qualifiers but added: "I have made them realise the qualifiers are a long, tortuous competition although it will be a experience."
Rwanda suffered a setback when their Belgium-based captain Desire Mbonabucya, striker Claude Kalisa and midfielder Joao Rafael Elias Manamana were ruled out due to injuries and club commitments.
"We'll manage without them even though they are great players and important to our squad," added the Serbian.
He said four of his overseas-based players, including forward Jean Lomami with Zambian club Power Dynamos had made the trip to Abuja.
Lomami said: "Nigeria are famous for their high-profile players who we regularly talk about and watch on television, so we feel it's an honour to face them."
With an embarrassment of riches, the Nigerians have dropped six key players, including captain Jay-Jay Okocha and strikers Nwankwo Kanu and Yakubu Aiyegbeni.
Lomami said: "Rwandan fans say the draw for the qualifiers was cruel because we are playing Nigeria, but it's an historic moment for us."
By Eniwoke Ibagere
ABUJA, June 4 (Reuters) - Rwanda national team coach Serbian Ratomir Dujkovic has promised his Nigerian opponents a difficult match in Saturday's 2006 World Cup Group Four African zone qualifier.
The game is the first meeting between both sides and the Rwandans come into the match with impressive performances last year and a debut outing at the 2004 African Nations Cup which won them the African Memorable Achievement Award.
"No doubt the Nigerians are a great side and favourites in the group, but they will have their hands full on Saturday," Dujkovic told Reuters in Abuja, venue of the match.
"Our preparations in the Ivory Coast put us in good shape, so if the Nigerians are going to win at all, they will find it really, really tough," he added.
Angola, Algeria, Gabon and Zimbabwe complete the group from which only the top team will qualify for the finals in Germany.
Dujkovic said his players were excited about their debut in the World Cup qualifiers but added: "I have made them realise the qualifiers are a long, tortuous competition although it will be a experience."
Rwanda suffered a setback when their Belgium-based captain Desire Mbonabucya, striker Claude Kalisa and midfielder Joao Rafael Elias Manamana were ruled out due to injuries and club commitments.
"We'll manage without them even though they are great players and important to our squad," added the Serbian.
He said four of his overseas-based players, including forward Jean Lomami with Zambian club Power Dynamos had made the trip to Abuja.
Lomami said: "Nigeria are famous for their high-profile players who we regularly talk about and watch on television, so we feel it's an honour to face them."
With an embarrassment of riches, the Nigerians have dropped six key players, including captain Jay-Jay Okocha and strikers Nwankwo Kanu and Yakubu Aiyegbeni.
Lomami said: "Rwandan fans say the draw for the qualifiers was cruel because we are playing Nigeria, but it's an historic moment for us."
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VINDAVE
Anything less than 4-0 is not a victory for us. We must show our class and send the jitters down their spines that we are willing and able to spell the name of any team in our group that come to play us. Believe me, if we were playing ourselves, I would be scared of facing the frontmen (Martins, Ogbeche/Dosunmu, Utaka, Obodo, Seyi). They are going to find Nigeria a handful and the only way they can survive is simply sit back and defend forever so they never get caught in a breakaway. In the match against Ireland, it took Nigeria and average of 13 seconds to excute and complete a counter attack. Martins goal was scored in 11 seconds from picking the ball at the edge of our 18. The Rwandans must be able to run.
, did not realy yarn nonsence.-
xxmanB2003
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AS one of their player said they are afraid of Naija. He said that it was an honour to play the SE and the watch naija stars on tv. So I think that we must not disappoint them by not giving them basket full of goals. Let the SE give them a enough number of goals to remember us by, at least 5 -0 will be good or even 4 - 0. I de mercy for them, this number of goals will teach their coach to know how to talk about the SE in future. Although I think that he was just sounding off, cos he knows what is in stock for his team on the pitch. Hahahahahaha 
With God everything is possible.
Guys Rwanda deserve a lot more respect than they are being given on this forum. I just hope our players and coaches are not taking such an attitude because it will be unprofessional and could spell doom.
At the end of the day, all I am interested in is 3 points. We need a good start for this campaign and the Rwandans will not be an easy nut to crack.
At the end of the day, all I am interested in is 3 points. We need a good start for this campaign and the Rwandans will not be an easy nut to crack.
Arsène Wenger at Arsenal, 1996 to 2018. I was there.
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sarkin doya
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Thank-you Waffi! I hope that we will see lots of goals
from the SE but they should not understimate the
Rwandans who as Waffi says will not be an easy nut
to crack.
Just bring us the three points and a well-played game
in which you give every effort to win.
> Guys Rwanda deserve a lot more respect than they
> are being given on this forum. I just hope our
> players and coaches are not taking such an attitude
> because it will be unprofessional and could spell doom.
>
>At the end of the day, all I am interested in is 3 points.
>We need a good start for this campaign and the
>Rwandans will not be an easy nut to crack.
from the SE but they should not understimate the
Rwandans who as Waffi says will not be an easy nut
to crack.
Just bring us the three points and a well-played game
in which you give every effort to win.
> Guys Rwanda deserve a lot more respect than they
> are being given on this forum. I just hope our
> players and coaches are not taking such an attitude
> because it will be unprofessional and could spell doom.
>
>At the end of the day, all I am interested in is 3 points.
>We need a good start for this campaign and the
>Rwandans will not be an easy nut to crack.
Match tomorrow
I expect a very tough match tomorrow and I predict a very narrow win for the SE. There are no 'minnows' in soccer anymore.
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mystic
