Rwanda U20 handball national team head coach François Xavier Ngarambe has said his teams is travelling to Kosovo for the Intercontinental Phase of the men's youth and junior tournaments to win the IHF Trophy. The tournament will take place in Pristina, Kosovo, from March 12 to 16. Ngarambe has been putting his players through their paces over the past few weeks before jetting off for Kosovo on Monday, March 10, ahead of the global youth handball fiesta. The team is pooled in the same group as Asian champions Uzbekistan and Nicaragua who are representing North America. As part of the preparations, the U20 team played two friendly matches against top-tier teams APR HC and Police HC over the weekend at Petit Stade indoor gymnasium. The national team won both games, defeating APR 31-30 and Police 36-34. “These two friendly games have given us a clear picture of our squad's readiness. We won against APR by only one goal, and now we've managed to win against Police by two goals, so we are ready to compete,” Ngarambe told the press on Sunday. ALSO READ: Rwanda U20 team earns spot in Intercontinental IHF Trophy The youth team coach stated that he is not concerned about their opponents' standings and confirmed that all aspects contributing to the team's readiness have been addressed. “We have conducted background research of the opposing teams and, although it’s our first time playing against them, we have an equal chance. We have brought in new players to strengthen our weaknesses, and the federation has ensured excellent welfare conditions. Now it’s our turn to perform,” he further explained. But are the boys ready? Elyse Muhumure, the captain of the U20 handball team, believes that while the two friendly games were beneficial, the chemistry built after a successful run at the IHF Africa Championship gives the squad confidence to bring the IHF Trophy to Africa for the first time in handball history. “As we did in Africa, we are aiming for the same success at the intercontinental level. For us, participation is not enough; winning the trophy is our goal,” Muhumure said. Game schedule Wednesday, March 13: Rwanda vs Nicaragua (North America) Thursday, March 14: Rwanda vs Uzbekistan (Asia)
