Cecafa youth Championship
Thursday
Rwanda v Egypt

RWANDA’s U-17 national team coach Michael Weiss has played down Egypt’s prowess in this year’s Cecafa junior challenge cup which kicks off tomorrow in Khartoum, Sudan.

Rwanda starts their title campaign with a match against guest team Egypt on Thursday in Group C at 8.30pm local time.

Weiss told Times Sport before the team’s departure yesterday that, "We are going to Sudan to win and out mission starts with Egypt in the opening game, which I am confident we should win.”

"They (Egypt) maybe favorites but we are on mission and we will play against them just like any other team.

"We had enough build-ups in Germany and this is a major boost for us. The team is tactically, physically and mentally prepared for the championship,” Weiss said.

The team left yesterday aboard Kenya Airways and would have a stop-over in Nairobi before connecting to Khartoum.

Rwanda will then face Eritrea in their subsequent match on August 21, before meeting defending champions Burundi two days later.

Participants in the competition include Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Sudan, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Rwanda, Somalia and Eritrea.

Sudan President Omar al Bashir has sponsored the tournament to the tune of $700,000.

Winners of the two-week long tournament will pocket $15000 while the first and second runner-ups will bag $10000 and $5000 respectively.

Ends