Monday
Group B
Gisagara (Rwa) Vs UCU (UGA) 15:00
Smouha (EGY) Vs Gendarmarie (MED) 16:00
Groups
Group A: Ahly, Injis, Police, Mugher and Ahly Tripoli
Group B: Smouha, Gisagara, Christian, Gendarmarie and Etihad
Group C: Swehly, Rukinzo, Woliata, Prisons, Espoire and FAP
Group D: GSU, University, AS Fag, Mwangaza, Nemostars and Asaria
RWANDA’s Gisagara Volleyball Club will be looking to get off to a convincing start when they face Uganda Christian University (UCU) in their opening match of the 2019 Men’s African Club Championship in Cairo, Egypt on Monday.
The game starts at 3pm, at Al Ahly Sports Arena.
Gisagara, two-time reigning champions of the national volleyball league, are making their debut at the annual continental tournament after being disqualified from last year’s edition following their failure to meet the registration deadline.
Talking to Times Sport in a telephone interview from Egypt on Sunday, interim coach Elam Byiringiro said that his side looked forward to a positive debut and the players were ready.
"We are playing the African championships for the first time, and we want to make it memorable. We are approaching one game at a time, right now our focus is winning the opening match [against UCU] on Monday,” said Byiringiro.
The Gisagara District-sponsored side were on Sunday evening drawn in Group B along with Madagascar’s Gendarmarie, Smouha (Egypt), UCU (Uganda) and Etihad of Libya.
The best two teams from each of the four groups will automatically progress to the knock-out stages, starting from the round of last eight, while the rest will straight head into classification matches.
University of Kibungo (UNIK) are the last Rwandan team to feature at the continent’s biggest club competition, during its 2017 edition, where they finished 11th.
Gisagara squad in Egypt:
Peter Bigirmana, Theodore Hyango, Nelson Murangwa, Thierry Mugabo, Adamou Doudou Djbril, Yves Niyonkuru, Wickliff Dusenge, Yvan Mukerangabo, Vincent Dusabimana, Ben Nakavoua, Emile Karere, Christophe Mukunzi, Patrick Akumuntu and Ronard Muvara.
editor@newtimesrwanda.com