Rwanda midfielder Hakim Sahabo was left fuming at being substituted during Wednesday's goalless draw with Zimbabwe in a 2026 World Cup qualifier at Huye Stadium.

Sahabo was arguably among standout performers in the Rwandan team but it didn't stop Torsten Spittler from taking him off for Kevin Muhire in the 76th minute, a decision that left the youngster far from impressed.

Spittler came under scrutiny as the home fans inside the stadium expressed their discontent over substituting the youngster who was the main architect from the midfield with his long incisive passes making an impact in launching attacking threats against Zimbabwe.

The player, too, cut a frustrating figure by throwing a bottle in front of the bench shortly after leaving the pitch. His facial expression pointed out how unhappy he looked.

Spittler, however, defended his decision, insisting that taking the Standard Liege wonderkid off was a tactical decision.

" Changes are done with a purpose, some players are not fit to play for 90 minutes, sometimes we also make changes to deploy new formation. The players on the bench are also equally good so everyone can be changed," the German gaffer explained during a post-match press conference.

Born in Brussels to a Rwandan mother and Burundian father, Sahabo has been capped six times by Amavubi and he has one assist to his name.

Rwanda returns to World Cup qualifiers action on November 21 where they will welcome South Africa at Huye Stadium but the likes of Clement Niyigena, Alain Kwitonda, Didider Mugisha, Jihad Nzeyurwanda, Christian Ishimwe won't feature in the match after they were told to leave the camp on Monday.

Times Sport understands that Spittler was not impressed by their level of performances during the recent training sessions.