U-17 Africa Youth Championship

Rwanda vs Burkina Faso (Jan. 8)

RWANDA will play Burkina Faso in the opening game of the 2011 U-17 Africa Youth Championship which will be jointly held in Kigali and Rubavu from January 8-22.

The junior wasps currently on a three-weeks training camp in Tunisia are drawn in Group A alongside Burkina Faso, Senegal and Egypt.

Group B pits reigning champions Gambia against Ivory Coast, Mali and Congo Brazzaville.

Matches will be played at three venues; Amahoro stadium, Nyamirambo’s Regional stadium and Umuganda stadium in Rubavu.

Responding to questions about whether Umuganda stadium will be ready to host the football showpiece, the Minister of Sports and Culture Joseph Habineza said that final touches are being put on the Western Province stadium.

"Everything is going according to schedule and it will be ready before the end of December.”

The national football federation (Ferwafa) President Jean Bosco Kazura is also optimistic about Rwanda’s chances.

"The team has prepared well and we believe they can at least get to the semi-final, which in itself is a ticket to next year’s U-17 World Cup in Mexico.”

Ends