Rwanda caretaker head coach Gerard Buschier has explained his decision to omit defender Thierry Manzi and midfielder Bonheur Mugisha from the squad that will face Senegal in the final Africa Cup of Nations qualifier slated for Saturday, September 9, at Huye Stadium.

The pair were part of the 25-man squad that Buschier summoned for Senegal clash before he replaced them with Kiyovu SC’s new signing Olivier Seif Niyonzima Rayon Sports centreback Isaac Mitima. According to Times Sport, Manzi and Mugisha, who both ply their trade at Libyan side Al Ahli Tripoli, were not happy with the flight tickets that the FA booked for them where they would have a 12-hour stopover in Istanbul before flying to Kigali. The players protested against the tickets, claiming that they were not favorable to them. They decided to buy their own tickets and are in Kigali for holidays prompting Buschier to replace them.

“There were discussions regarding their flight and it was going to be complicated and when there are challenges to come, you forget about it and change,” Bushier told journalists before Wednesday’s training sessions,” adding: “If they weren’t sure they would be here by Wednesday, I had to change. I am not the boss here but when I decide, I decide. We were lucky that there were still very good defenders and midfielders to fill in their respective posts. And there is no problem at all.”

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Manzi and Mugisha, now teammates at Al Ahly Tripoli, will be watching from the stands when Rwanda welcomes Senegal at Huye Stadium on Saturday although Buschier would rather have loved to see them playing for the country.

While Manzi has been a constant figure for the Amavubi throughout the qualifiers, Mugisha last played for the national in February 2022 in a friendly game with Guinea. The two players signed for Al Ahli in the just-ended transfer window as free agents after leaving AS Kigali and APR respectively.

Rwanda held their last training session at Kigali Pele Stadium on Wednesday before they travel to Gisagara where they will be camping ahead of their match against Senegal.