The local football body, Ferwafa has summoned a 24-man Amavubi Stars’ squad to undergo training ahead of the second leg of the preliminary round of the Africa Nations Championship against Burundi set for April 16 in Bujumbura.
Initially, Amavubi Stars’ fixture against Burundi was set for this weekend but due to the 1994 Genocide commemoration mourning week, the fixture was pushed to next Tuesday.
Ferwafa Chief Executive Officer Jules Kalisa told Times Sport that the 24-man squad is undergoing thorough training at Nyamirambo stadium. The first task for Raoul Shungu, the newly appointed team’s interim head coach will be to pick the final 18 players who will make the final squad. The provisional squad named on Monday includes Rayon Sport midfielder Kalisa Kase, APR’s defender Mwemere Girishuti and Rayon’s new signing Honore Kabongo.
Burundian born and APR midfielder Fuwadi Ndayisenga has been summoned in the Amavubi Stars and is expected to make his debut against his country of birth if he makes it to the final squad which heads to Burundi on Sunday.
However, Rayon striker Jimmy Gatete and Atraco midfielder Manfred Kizito have been dropped. The experienced pair was in the team that played the first leg in Kigali two weeks ago.
Rwanda and Burundi will play on Tuesday while Tanzania hosts Kenya as Eritrea travels to Uganda in this weekend’s East-Central zone fixtures.
The winner between Burundi and Rwanda will face Sudan in the first round tie to be played on the weekend of May 2-4.
The winner between Kenya and Tanzania will face the winner from Eritrea-Uganda match. This new championship was inaugurated last September by Caf with the aim of providing home-grown talents more exposure on the international scene as well as promoting and developing football in Africa.
The winners of each group will qualify for the final tournament, which will be held in Ivory Coast from February 22 to March 8 next year. The qualifying phase will take place every even year and the final every odd year.
SQUAD;
GOAL KEEPERS:Jean Claude Ndoli, Jean Luc Ndayishimiye and Ben Mandela
DEFENDERS:Elias Ntaganda, Donatien Tuyizere, Girinshuti Mwemere, Bonaventure Hategikimana, Aimable Rucogoza, Marcel Lomami and Aloua Gaseruka.
MIDFIELDERS;Mutesa Mafisango,Jean Mugiraneza, Aphrodise Hategikimana,Jean Shyaka, Haruna Niyonzoma,Jean Claude Iranzi, Youssuf Ndayishimiye, Honore Kabongo Fuwadi Ndayisenga and Kalisa Kase.
STRIKERS: Abed Mulenda, Roger Tuyisenge, Jean Lomami and Elias Uzamukunda.