2009 Cecafa Youth Championship
Today
Kenya v Zanzibar 3.30pm
Burundi  v Eritrea 4.30pm
Rwanda v Egypt 7.00pm
Sudan v Tanzania 7.00pm
Somalia v Malawi 7.00pm

RWANDA’s U-17 national team starts their Cecafa-Bashir Youth Championship campaign this evening with a tough test against Egypt at the Wad Medani stadium.

The junior wasps, who are also drawn with defending champions Burundi and Eritrea in Group C, know that getting off to a good start is ideal to their hopes of trying to win the tournament.

Before the team’s departure, head coach Michael Weiss stated that the Rwanda’s immediate task is to get past the group stages and then think about winning the tournament.

"We know that we can win the tournament but first, we have to qualify for the quarter-finals,” the former German international said.

In the day’s other fixtures, defending champions Burundi entertain Eritrea, Tanzania take on hosts Sudan, Kenya go head to head with Zanzibar while Somalia and Malawi clash in Khartoum.

After the Egypt game, Rwanda plays Eritrea on Saturday before taking on Burundi in their final Group game two days later.

Twelve teams are in contention this year. They include; Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Sudan, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Rwanda, Somalia and Eritrea.

After a (US$700,000) sponsorship package from Sudan President Omar al Bashir, US$15,000 has been staked for the tournament winners while the second and third teams will settle for $10000 and $5000 respectively.

Group A
Sudan, Malawi, Tanzania and Somalia
Group B
Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia and Zanzibar
Group C
Burundi, Egypt, Rwanda, Eritrea

Ends