Amavubi Stars’ Gatete on target

By HAMZA NKUUTU

Saturday, 07 October 2006

Amavubi Stars’ skipper Jimmy Gatete finally found his scoring boot, netting in Rwanda’s 3-2 win over a Senegalese top club on Thursday. Gatete, who had not scored at an international level for a long-time, was on target as Amavubi trained ahead of tomorrow’s Africa Nations Cup crunch tie against Liberia, away in Monrovia.

The goal was Gatete’s first for the team since his spectacular against Nigeria’s Super Eagles during the CAN 2006 qualifier at Amahoro stadium. Since suffering a thigh injury about three months ago, the APR ace has struggled to rediscover his goal scoring form that once made him the most feared striker in Rwandan football.

Others on target were in form St Truiden striker Henry Munyaneza and Swedish based Bobo Bolla, who joined the team in its training camp in Senegal from their European bases.

The Thursday victory was a much needed boosted for coach Michael Nees’ side that has struggled to find a winning form since the defeat to Cameroon last month. The team arrived in Monrovia yesterday afternoon after spending the last five days at a training camp in the Senegalese.

Reports reaching Times Sport indicated yesterday that all was well in the team’s camp, with the arrival of all the professionals, save for Claude Kalisa who was expected to link-up with the rest direct in Monrovia. Munyaneza, Bobo Bolla and Karekezi joined their teammates in the middle of the week. In a related development, Ferwafa’s Chief Executive Officer Jules Kalisa has insisted that leader of delegation for the Liberia mission, Boniface Sabimana would serve in all required capacities.