Today: Semi-finalsDRC vs Mozambique 6pmSenegal vs Benin 10pm

Fifth-placeRwanda vs Ethiopia 8pm

Thursday: Group ASenegal 37-33 Rwanda

Rwanda U20 men's national handball team suffered yet another defeat on Thursday night against Senegal in a match they needed to win to book a place in the semi-finals of the ongoing IHF Continental Phase – Africa in Dakar.

Competition debutants Rwanda lost to the hosts 33-37 for a second defeat in Group A after losing 31-36 to the Democratic Republic of Congo on Wednesday. Failure to add to the win against Madagascar in the first match on Tuesday ended Rwanda's dream for a semi-final slot.

Antoinne Ntabanganyiman's youngsters will not take on Ethiopia in the 5/6th place playoff match on Friday night, starting at 8pm.

In a post-match interview, team captain Jean Paul Muhawenayo attributed the defeat to poor refereeing.

"We are very disappointed. The refereeing was very poor. We were denied many chances that were awarded to Senegal in similar situations. As players we did our best but may be the match officials had their own agenda," Muhawenayo told the press after the defeat.

In today's semi-finals, title favorites DR Congo, who advanced as Group A leaders, take on Mozambique, who finished second in Group B while Group B leaders Benin will be up against Senegal.

Winners in today's semi-finals will face-off in Saturday's final while losers will square-off in the third-place encounter.

Rwanda had set an ambitious target of at reaching semi-finals of 7-country competition and started the chase on a high to beat Madagascar 36-24 on Tuesday but along the way failed to keep up. The team is expected back in the country on Sunday.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw