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Cape Verde — Rwanda: 1:2, Africa Cup of Nations - Qualification

Africa Cup of Nations - Qualification
Cape Verde D15 Jun · Away Spain · 0:0D21 Jun · Away Uruguay · 2:2D27 Jun · Home Saudi Arabia · 0:0L3 Jul · Away Argentina · 2:3L25 Sep · Away Mali · 1:3L29 Sep · Home Rwanda · 1:2
1:2
Finished

Kick-off was BST

Rwanda L10 Oct 2025 · Home Benin · 0:1L14 Oct 2025 · Away South Africa · 0:3W27 Mar · Home Grenada · 4:0W30 Mar · Home Estonia · 2:0W25 Sep · Home Liberia · 3:1W29 Sep · Away Cape Verde · 2:1
Venue: Estádio Nacional de Cabo Verde City: Praia

In the Africa Cup of Nations - Qualification game on 29 September 2026, Rwanda beat Cape Verde 1:2. Match numbers: shots on target 6:2, corners 4:3.

Match report

Cabo Verde fell to a 1-2 defeat against Rwanda in their Africa Cup of Nations Qualification Group Stage-2 clash on Monday evening. The hosts had dominated proceedings for forty minutes before Rwanda struck twice in quick succession to overturn the scoreline. It was a result that ended Cabo Verde's hopes of maintaining momentum after their recent run of draws against top opposition.

Gilson Benchimol gave the home side the lead in the fortieth minute, finishing from close range after sustained pressure. The goal appeared to settle nerves that had been fraying under Rwanda's disciplined defensive structure. Cabo Verde had built their case through possession, but the visitors remained compact and organised throughout the first half.

Rwanda changed their approach after the break, and the impact was immediate. Claude Niyomugabo equalised on forty-five minutes plus two, before Elie Tatou Iradukunda completed the turnaround just seven minutes later. The away side played the second half a man up in terms of attacking intent, and they were ruthlessly efficient when it mattered. By then, the momentum had shifted entirely.

The statistics tell one story, but the result tells another. Cabo Verde enjoyed seventy per cent possession and registered fifteen shots to their opponents' five, yet only managed six on target. Rwanda made do with thirty per cent and saw their two shots on target find the net. The away goalkeeper made five saves while his counterpart made none — a clear indication that when chances came, they were decisive.

The defeat leaves Cabo Verde needing to regroup as they look to bounce back from their recent struggles. They have not won since their draw with Uruguay in June, and this result adds pressure to their qualification campaign. Rwanda, meanwhile, will view this as a statement of intent — proof that they can compete with the best through discipline and clinical finishing.

Prepared from match data

Video

Match highlights Cape Verde — Rwanda E M Sports TV

Key numbers

Possession, % 70 – 30
Shots on target 6 – 2
Shots off target 9 – 3
Attacks 110 – 48

Match events

  1. 24' 0:0 Rwanda Yellow card Bonheur Mugisha
  2. 37' 0:0 Cape Verde Yellow card Kevin Pina
  3. 40' 1:0 Cape Verde Goal Gilson Benchimol assist: Ryan Mendes
  4. 45' 1:0 Rwanda Substitution Abeddy Biramahire off: Elie Tatou Iradukunda
  5. 45+2' 1:1 Rwanda Goal Claude Niyomugabo assist: A. Mutsinzi
  6. 51' 1:1 Rwanda Yellow card Joy Lance Mickels
  7. 52' 1:2 Rwanda Goal Elie Tatou Iradukunda assist: Joy Lance Mickels
  8. 57' 1:2 Rwanda Yellow card Elie Tatou Iradukunda
  9. 58' 1:2 Rwanda Yellow card A. Mutsinzi
  10. 62' 1:2 Cape Verde Substitution Ayoni Santos off: Nuno Da Costa
  11. 62' 1:2 Cape Verde Substitution José Tavares off: Jovane Cabral
  12. 69' 1:2 Rwanda Substitution Gilbert Mugisha off: Jojea Kwizera
  13. 69' 1:2 Rwanda Substitution Leroy-Jacques Mickels off: Noam Emeran
  14. 75' 1:2 Cape Verde Substitution Ryan Mendes off: Dailon Livramento
  15. 75' 1:2 Cape Verde Substitution Telmo Arcanjo off: Jamiro Monteiro
  16. 85' 1:2 Cape Verde Substitution Gilson Benchimol off: Garry Rodrigues
  17. 90+3' 1:2 Rwanda Substitution Joy Lance Mickels off: I. Nshuti
  18. 90+3' 1:2 Rwanda Substitution Bonheur Mugisha off: Kevin Muhire

Statistics

70 Possession, % 30
6 Shots on target 2
9 Shots off target 3
110 Attacks 48
4 Corners 3
16 Fouls 17
18 Free kicks 14
0 Offsides 0
1 Yellow cards 4
0 Red cards 0
4 Goal kicks 17
22 Throw-ins 12
All statistics
4 Blocked shots 1
41 Failed passes 57
0 Goalkeeper saves 5
0.32 Shot accuracy 0.33
10 Shots from outside the box 4
9 Shots inside the box 2
492 Total passes 214

Line-ups

Cape Verde

Starting XI
# Player number
1 Josimar José Évora Dias 1
2 Wagner Fabrício Cardoso Pina 2
3 Edilson Alberto Monteiro Sanches Borges 3
5 Logan Evans Costa 5
13 Sidny Lopes Cabral 13
6 Kevin Pina 6
16 J. Tavares 16
18 Telmo Arcanjo 18
20 Ryan Isaac Mendes da Graça 20
25 A. Santos 25
9 Gilson Benchimol Tavares 9
Substitutes
# Player number
12 Márcio Salomão Brazão da Rosa 12
23 CJ Dos Santos 23
4 Roberto Carlos Lopes 4
22 Jorge Miguel Lopes Xavier 22
8 João Paulo 8
10 Jamiro Gregory Monteiro Alvarenga 10
14 Deroy D'Encarnação Duarte 14
15 Laros d'Encarnação Duarte 15
7 Jovane Eduardo Borges Cabral 7
11 Garry Mendes Rodrigues 11
19 Dailon Rocha Livramento 19
21 Nuno Miguel da Costa Jóia 21
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Rwanda

Starting XI
# Player number
1 Fiacre Ntwari 1
2 Claude Niyomugabo 2
5 A. Mutsinzi 5
25 Phanuel Kavita 25
13 Leroy-Jacques Mickels 13
15 Bonheur Mugisha 15
20 Joy-Lance Mickels 20
Substitutes
# Player number
3 Emmanuel Imanishimwe 3
8 Samuel Léopold Marie Gueulette 8
10 Noam Fritz Emeran 10
22 Jojea Kwizera 22
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Recent form

Cape Verde

D15 Jun · Away Spain · 0:0D21 Jun · Away Uruguay · 2:2D27 Jun · Home Saudi Arabia · 0:0L3 Jul · Away Argentina · 2:3L25 Sep · Away Mali · 1:3L29 Sep · Home Rwanda · 1:2

Recent matches

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Rwanda

L10 Oct 2025 · Home Benin · 0:1L14 Oct 2025 · Away South Africa · 0:3W27 Mar · Home Grenada · 4:0W30 Mar · Home Estonia · 2:0W25 Sep · Home Liberia · 3:1W29 Sep · Away Cape Verde · 2:1

Recent matches

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