Usengimana out for four weeks

DEFENDER Faustin Usengimana’s Fifa U-17 World Cup campaign ended prematurely after he aggravated his knee during Group C defeat against Uruguay on Wednesday. The Rayon Sport’s centre back, who missed the opening match against England, only last for 30 minutes against Uruguay before being stretched off with the field in near tears.

Thursday, June 23, 2011
DOWN AND OUT; Defender Faustin Usengimana, seen here stretching in training, has been ruled out of action for four weeks with a knee injury. (File photo)

DEFENDER Faustin Usengimana’s Fifa U-17 World Cup campaign ended prematurely after he aggravated his knee during Group C defeat against Uruguay on Wednesday.

The Rayon Sport’s centre back, who missed the opening match against England, only last for 30 minutes against Uruguay before being stretched off with the field in near tears.

Team physio Patrick Rutamu told Times Sport yesterday, "Usengimana will not take part in the competition anymore because his injury could tale three to four weeks to fully recover.”

Usengimana missed the opening match in Group C where Rwanda lost 0-2 to the young lions and since then he was being worked on intensively by the team’s paramedics.

However, as he went into a challenge with Paraguay’s Elbio Alvarez, the 17-year-old went down yelling in pain as his World Cup ended rashly.

The player himself accepted the blow on Wednesday, "My competition is over now, I wish my team mates good luck and hopeful we can be able to reach the next round.”

With Usengimana out, Sec academy defender Heritier Turatsinze will continue to take his position in central defence when Rwanda faces Canada in the final Group C match due to be played Saturday night.

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