Amavubi Stars regroup today

National football coach Tucak Branko has summoned the Amavubi Stars that will take part in the forthcoming Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup due in Kampala, Uganda from December 31 to January 13.

The causalities of the call-up include, instrumental midfield kingpin Patrick Mafisango his teammate at APR Elias Ntaganda and national league top scorer Jean Lomami of Atraco.

The team is set to start their preparations for the two week long tournament today at Ferwafa grounds, Remera.

Regular faces in the provisional 18-man squad include Ismail Nshutinamagara (APR), custodian Jean Claude Ndoli (APR), Bonaventure Hategikimana (Rayon), Aloua Gaseruka (Atraco), Eric Gasana (APR) and Bokota Labama.

Donatien Tuyisenge, who last featured for Amavubi team during last year Cecafa Challenge Cup finals in Tanzania, has been recalled to the side.

New faces in the team include: Aphrodis Mungwarareba(Electrogaz), Yves Twajamahoro(Police),Pacifique Mwitenawe(AS Kigali),Bosco Gasana(Amagaju) and Pappy Nkunda(Kibuye).

Rwanda opens this year’s campaign against archrivals and tournament hosts Uganda on New Year’s Day at Namboole Stadium.

The two-week period will help Coach Branko Tucak to prepare his team for the event that Rwanda has won just once in 1999 when it was staged in Kigali.

The Amavubi reached the final last year in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania but lost to Sudan 4-2 on penalties after normal time had ended in a 2-2 draw.

Amavubi Stars, who knocked out Uganda Cranes at the semifinal stage last year, are drawn in group A alongside Tanzania, Zanzibar and Somalia.

Group B has defending champions Sudan, Kenya, Burundi, Eritrea and Djibouti and their matches will be based at Bugembe stadium in Jinja. At the end of the group action, the top two will automatically advance to the last four.

Cranes will be seeking redemption after failing to make the penultimate round of qualifying for the 2010 World Cup/African Nations Cup qualifiers.

Kenya, Rwanda and Sudan are the only teams in the final qualifying round. It will also be Tucak’s first taste of action in a competition that has eluded Rwanda since 1999.

SQUAD GOAL KEEPERS

Jean Claude Ndoli (APR), Samuel Muhayimana (La Jeunesse), Waimani Uwizeye (Marines) and Patrick Rutayisire (AS Kigali).

DEFENDERS

Bonaventure Hategikimana(Rayon Sports), Jean Bosco Uwacu(APR), Ismael Nshutinamagara(APR),Donatien Tuyizere(Atraco),Aloua Gaseruka(Atraco) and Aphrodis  Mungwarareba(Electrogaz).

MID-FIELDERS

Abdul Uwimana (Rayon Sports), Eric Gasana (APR), Yves Twajamahoro (Police), Pacifique Mwitenawe (AS Kigali) and Tuyisenge Pekeyake (Rayon Sports).

STRIKERS

Pappy Nkunda (Kibuye), Jean Bosco Gasana (Amagaju) and Bokota Labama (APR).

Ends