2015 AYC qualifiers

TodayRwanda vs Gabon, 3pm (Kigali Regional Stadium)Libya vs TunisiaEthiopia vs South AfricaBurundi vs CameroonCongo vs BeninTogo vs MoroccoLiberia vs Cote d’IvoireSudan vs EgyptLesotho vs Angola

RWANDA’S Under-20 team, Junior Wasps, faces the ultimate challenge in its bid to qualify for the Senegal 2015 Africa Youth Championship (AYC) as it meets Les Panthéreaux of Gabon in the first leg of the second round.

The Junior Wasps, under the tutelage of head coach Richard Tardy, need nothing short of victory this afternoon at Kigali Regional Stadium, to brighten their chances of making it to the final stage, apart from staying on course for a spot in Senegal 2015 AYC edition.

Coach Tardy told Sunday Sport yesterday that they will do everything within their capacity to win the first leg at home.

"We need to score as many goals as possible so as to go into the second leg with bigger advantage. Gabon is a good side and experienced thus we will face a difficult opponent,”

"However, home support will be vital and we must utilize it in every way to score goals. The players are ready and hungry for a win,” added Tardy. 

Besides right back Yves Rwigema from Academie Futelite in Valencia who has been out with a malaria bout, Tardy has a fully-fit squad.

Gabon U20 head coach Rigobert Nzamba said, "We are ready for the game. We don’t have any information on our hosts but we will be cautious and go for a positive result before completing the task at home in the return leg,”

Nzamba’s side is boosted by six professional players namely; goalkeeper Scott Ngou from Prestige football academy in South Africa, defender Alane Koukidi from Stade Olympique Cholet in France), midfielders Wilhem Ngaka from Cray Wanderers in England and Gaetan Missi Mezu from Valenciennes, France and two strikers Ricky Ndoutoume and Samuel Obame who play for French sides FC Villefranche and Montpellier HSC respectively.

Whereas Gabon was given a bye into this round, Rwanda also never dropped a sweat following the withdrawal of their would-be opponents South Sudan in March.

Elsewhere, the Young Pharaohs of Egypt travel to the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, in a boisterous mood after weeks of preparation in Cairo.

South Africa appears wary of an Ethiopian side that saw of Seychelles 5-0 on aggregate at the previous round. 

Libya and Tunisia will face-off in the Algerian city of Blida, Burundi against Cameroon in Bujumbura and Angola sort things out in Maseru.

Congo, winners in 2007 welcomes Benin to Pointe-Noire whereas the Municipal Stadium in Lome will host the Togo versus Morocco encounter.

Liberia, who advanced from the first round after the disqualification of Gambia for fielding ineligible players, will be at home against Les Elephanteaux of Cote d’Ivoire at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium in Liberia.

The return leg will be played on May 24 in Libreville where the winner over the two legs will face the victor between Sierra Leone/Guinea and Ghana in the final qualifying round.

Only seven places are up for grabs to join the hosts, Senegal for the finals tournament. The semi-finalists in Senegal will represent Africa at the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand.