Tuesday, October 6 Sudan U23 1–1 Rwanda U23 (Rwanda progress 4–1 on aggregate) Rwanda U23 advanced to the second round of the CAF U-23 Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifiers after securing a 4–1 aggregate victory over Sudan, following a 1–1 draw in the return leg at Juba National Stadium on Tuesday. The Junior Wasps will now face Cameroon U23 in the next round as they continue their pursuit of a place at the continental tournament, which also serves as a pathway to the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Having secured a commanding 3–0 victory in the first leg in Kigali, Rwanda travelled to Juba, South Sudan, with a significant advantage. However, Sudan made a lively start and struck early when Awar Antar found the net in the fourth minute, briefly raising hopes of a dramatic comeback. The early goal gave Sudan momentum, but Rwanda remained composed and gradually regained control of the match. Rwanda suffered another setback in the 37th minute when midfielder Daniel Muhoza was shown a second yellow card and sent off. His dismissal means he will miss the first leg of Rwanda's next-round tie against Cameroon. Despite being reduced to 10 men, the Junior Wasps responded positively after the interval. Their resilience was rewarded just a minute into the second half when Didier Ndayishimiye scored the equaliser in the 46th minute, silencing the home crowd and restoring Rwanda's comfortable three-goal aggregate advantage. Playing with 10 men for the remainder of the match, Eric Nshimiyimana's side demonstrated impressive resilience, discipline and tactical maturity. Sudan pushed forward in search of the goals they needed, but Rwanda's well-organised defence remained compact and disciplined, frustrating the hosts' attempts to create clear-cut opportunities. The result underlined Rwanda's maturity across both legs of the tie, particularly in Juba, where they managed the game effectively despite their numerical disadvantage. The next challenge will be considerably tougher, with Cameroon U23, one of Africa's traditional football powerhouses, standing between Rwanda and the next stage of their Olympic qualification dream.
