The national U-20 head coach Obradovic Tomislav has named a provisional 26-man team for next year’s 16th African youth championship in Kigali. The Ferwafa Chief Executive Officer Jules Kalisa said yesterday that the team will lead Rwanda’s hunt for her maiden African silverware. Kalisa said, “The team will head to Tunisia for a one-month training camp before returning back for the championship which gets underway in January next year,” Kalisa named. In the team, Haruna Niyonzima, Jean Baptista Mugiraneza, Elias Uzamukunda and Jean Luc Ndayishimiye are the only players who featured in last year’s U-20 team which featured in the qualifiers for the Beijing Olympic Games. Meanwhile, Hegman Ngoma (APR), Arafat Serugendo (APR), Aimable Rucogoza (Rayon Sport) and Bonfils Twahirwa (AS Kigali) are some of the new faces in the team. The team departs for Tunisia this Sunday for a one-month training camp. After the training stint, Tomislav will then select his final team of 18 players that will feature in the championship. The trio of Mugiraneza, Rucogoza and Niyonzima are expected to play an influential role if Rwanda is to have a genuine chance in the tournament. Rwanda faces Mali, Cameroon and Ghana in Group A while Group B is made up of Nigeria, Ivory Coast, South Africa and Egypt. Hosts Rwanda, which was seeded for the draw, will open the competition against Mali at Amahoro stadium on January 18, 2009 before another cracker sees Ghana taking on arch rivals Cameroon. Rwanda needs only to reach the semi-finals of next year’s African Youth Championships to be assured of a place at the World Youth Championships finals to be hosted by Egypt. RWANDA AYC SQUAD: Goal keepers: Jean Luc Ndayishimiye (Atraco), Emery Mvuyekure (Electrogaz), Claude Nshimiyimana (Amagaju) and Aboubakar Nshimiyimana (Mukura). Defenders: Aimable Rucogoza (Rayon),Arafat Serugendo (APR), Albert Ngabo (Rayon), Annuar Kibaya (AS Kigali),Eric Habimana (AS Kigali) and Bon Fils Christian Twahirwa (AS Kigali). Midfielders: Jean Mugiraneza (APR), Niyonzima Haruna (APR), Ghad Mwizerwa (Kiyovu), Yussuf Ndayishimiye (Rayon),Djabir Irankunda (Atraco),Jean Claude Iranzi (APR),Michael Hitimana(Jeunesse), JMV Rukundo(APR), Djamar Mwiseneza (Rayon) and Abdoul Karim Gashugi (Mukura). Strikers: Ernest Kwizera (APR), Hegman Ngoma (APR),Robert Muvunyi (Jeunesse), Elias Uzamukunda (APR), Eric Serugaba(APR) and Emmanuel Sebanani (APR). Ends
