Bonnie Mugabe
7 November 2008
Kigali — RWANDA football governing body, Ferwafa has called off the proposed international friendly game between Amavubi Stars and Malawi's Flames that had been scheduled for November 19.
Ferwafa Chief Executive Officer Jules Kalisa told Times Sport yesterday on phone from Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso that Malawi was ruled out because Togo football federation had shown keen interest to play against Rwanda on the same date stipulated by FIFA as a date for international friendly matches.
"We made open invitations to various countries including Malawi but Togo made a positive response offering to pay all expenses our team while in Lome," Kalisa said.
Kalisa is in Ouagadougou where he accompanied the national U-17 side for tomorrow's African Youth U-17 Championships first leg third round tie against the hosts (Burkina Faso).
According to Malawi's Daily Times, the Malawi Football Association (FAM) Chief Executive Officer Charles Nyirenda said that Rwanda and Mozambique had made offers to play against them.
He said they were interested in both games because Mozambique was in the same group with Ivory Coast while Rwanda is an emerging footballing force.
Mozambique suggested that the game should be played in Tete in Maputo, the nation's capital while Rwanda made an open invitation for the game to be played either in Kigali or Malawi.
"Rwanda offered us to come here on condition that we should pay for their accommodation," he said.
But the soccer governing body had not yet made a commitment to either team until the government release funding for the association's programmes.
Libya, were the first to approach FAM for a possible friendly game with all expenses paid for.
Rwanda's archrivals Zambia was also one of the first countries to consider Malawi for friendly game. Malawi is in Group E together with Ivory Coast, Guinea and Burkina Faso.
Rwanda has been drawn against Egypt, Zambia and Algeria in Group C in which the top three teams would qualify for Angola 2010 Africa Cup of Nations while the group winners would book a ticket for 2010 World Cup.
Sat
Africa U-17 qualifier
First leg
Burkina Faso vs Rwanda
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