Amavubi eye second win in CECAFA Cup

Tuesday Group B Zanzibar vs Uganda 1pm SS9 Group A Rwanda vs Tanzania 3pm SS9 Amavubi Stars head coach Johnny McKinstry has urged his players to get a good result against Tanzania today in their game at the ongoing CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup in Awassa City, Ethiopia. After beating hosts Ethiopia 1-0 in the opening match on Saturday, a win over the Kilimanjaro Stars would all but guarantee Rwanda a place in the quarter-finals with one group game to spare against Somalia on Monday. The win over Ethiopia, courtesy of Jacques Tuyisenge goal, was the first for under-fire McKinstry after six successive defeats stretching back in early September. Amavubi are seeking to win the CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup title for the first time since 1999. “We are naturally pleased to get our CECAFA Cup campaign off to a positive start in what was a difficult opening game against the host nation,” McKinstry, 30, said. Looking ahead to the clash with Tanzania, the Northern Irishman says he expected a tougher challenge against Ethiopia and urged his players to stay focused, work hard, pass the ball and keep things simple. He added, “They did just that, and even though Ethiopia put significant pressure in the final 20 minutes, our display overall, was enough to give us the three points.” “We are looking forward to today’s game against Tanzania; we will be looking to put in maximum effort. It is a game that we need to win to progress into the knockout stages,” he explained. McKinstry noted that the main aim of CECAFA is to give players a chance to prove themselves for selection in the CHAN squad in January, but insisted that, “we also want to do as well as we can; winning matches will breed confidence within the team.” Tanzania also won the first match of the tournament as they sunk Somalia 4-0 at the Yidnekachew Tessema Stadium on Sunday afternoon with John Bocco and Elias Maguli netting a brace each. Meanwhile, defending champions Kenya Harambee Stars beat record 13-time winners Uganda 2-0 thanks to goals from Jacob Keli and Micheal Olunga.

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Amavubi eye second win in CECAFA Cup