Today

Rwanda    v  Somalia (1.30pm)

Tanzania  v  Zanzibar (4pm)

KAMPALA - Rwanda’s Amavubi Stars will need nothing less then a victory against Somalia this afternoon if they are to brighten their chances of making it to the later stages of the 34th edition of the Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup.

"It’s a do or die for us and we must show that we are a hungry team,” said Rwanda’s Croatian tactician Tucak Branko.

After Somalia’s upset of Tanzania on Saturday, Group A has become very tricky and the 1999 champions will need to raise their game against a Somalian side that has shown a lot of a ‘die a little for your country attitude’ and have promised to give it their best shot this time round.

In the absence of first choice goalkeeper Jean Claude Ndoli, the Amavubi will call-up Patrick Rutayisire to take charge, although the back-line of Aloua Gaseruka, Ismael Nshutinamagara and Bonaventure Hategikimana is likely to remain unchanged.

The attack of Jean Lomami and Kamana Bokota Labama will have to get their scoring boots on in order to bring down a battle hardened Somalian side led by danger-man Cisse Abshir who netted the lone goal against Tanzania .

"We are going all out for a kill. This is like a final to us,” experienced midfielder Elias Ntaganda told Times Sport.

Somalia’s team manager/coach Mohamed Abdi Farah told Times Sport that after their win over Tanzania, they fear no team.

"We are more than determined top win all our remaining group games. Losing to Zanzibar in our opening game was a wake-up call,” said Farah.

The Amavubi will have to watch Somalia’s Abshir, Ali Bashi and Abdilaziz Ali who have proved dangerous. But Branko thinks his team has learnt its lessons from the big defeat to Uganda in the opening game.

"We shall not afford to make funny mistakes. We need to score as many goals that can some our way,” said the Croatian who also questioned the level of refereeing by Kenya’s Alfred Ndinya in the first game.

The Amavubi, who are currently placed bottom of the table, will have to score more than five goals to move to third place and also pray that Zanzibar beat or hold Tanzania to a draw.

Table standings

Group A
                       P    W    D      L    F    A    Pts

Uganda           2     1     1     0    4    0      4
Zanzibar         2     1      1     0    2    0     4
Somalia          2      1      0     1    1    2     3
Tanzania        1      0      0     1    0    1     0
Rwanda          1      0      0     1    0   4      0

Ends