Redemption time

SELLAS Tetteh and his Under-20 team; the Junior Wasps are back to the drawing board after Saturday’s dismal show in Congo Brazzaville. The youngsters were no match for the hosts as they were trounced 2-0 in the first leg of the 2011 Africa Youth Championship qualifiers. The team now needs to grind out a 3-0 win in the return leg that will be staged in Kigali on the weekend of August 6-8 to have any hopes of reaching the final qualifying round. Saturday’s display continued to expose Rwanda’s nagging impotence infront of goal. Like the senior side; Amavubi Stars who endured a forgettable nightmare campaign during the 2010 Nations Cup qualifiers where they managed to score twice in six games, the Junior Wasps look to be heading in the same direction unless the striking pair of Jack Tuyisenge and Kipson Atuheire comes good in the return leg. The pair failed to come to terms with a solid Congo Brazzaville defence, one of the team’s strengths and reasons why they won the 2007 Africa Youth Championship. Although Tetteh was reluctant to speak to Times Sport, it is certain that he will stick with APR winger Jean Claude Iranzi, who has been criticised for failing to reproduce his club form while on national duty. The Ghanaian tactician refused to comment on the team’s preparations for the do or die tie but it is obvious that he was keeping his cards close to his chest. In other selected results, Mauritius will also need to beat Zambia 2-0 to qualify, while Sudan and Uganda both face the same predicament like Rwanda of needing more than 2 goals against Egypt and Kenya to qualify. Seven teams from the qualifiers will join hosts Libya for the tournament proper slated to run from March 18 to April 1 next year. Nigeria won the African Youth Championship four times successively in the 1980s, and again in Benin Republic in 2005, and finished runners–up to hosts Ghana in 1999 and again to hosts Congo Brazzaville in 2007. The last edition was won by Ghana under the watchful eye of Tetteh but if he can repeat the feat remains to be seen. Junior Wasps team for first leg: Emery Mvuyekure, Protogene Rukundo, Bonfils Christian Twahirwa, Anwar Kibaya, Eric Habimana, Herman Ngoma, Faustin Usengimana, JMV Rukundo, Jamal Mwiseneza, Abdul Karim Gashugi, Jean Claude Iranzi, Jacques Tuyisenge, Abuba Sibomana, Tumaine Ntamuhanga, Amani Uwiringiyimana, Kipson Atuheire, Bienfait Kabanda and Ismail Habumugisha. Ends

Sports

Redemption time