AMAVUBI head to Dar-es-Salaam this afternoon; two days before their Tusker Challenge Cup opener against defending champions Tanzania.

The team’s head coach Milutin Micho yesterday named a youthful-side for the two-week tournament. U-20 stars Emery Bayisenge, Andrew Buteera and Charles Tibingana are in the team but Michelle Rusheshangoga misses out. The team also boasts of vast experience in Olivier Karekezi, Bokota Labama Kamana, Haruna Niyonzima and Jean Baptiste Mugiraneza a.k.a Migi.

Rwanda, who won the event in 1999, are drawn in Group A alongside Djibouti, Namibia and Tanzania.

Group B has record champions Uganda, Burundi, Zanzibar and Somalia while Kenya, Sudan and guest sides, Malawi and Namibia make up Group C.

Namibia were drafted in following Eritrea’s last minute withdrawal.

Last year, Rwanda were knocked out at the quarter-final stage after suffering a 1-0 defeat against Tanzania.

Tanzania went on to win the tournament after beating Ivory Coast (1-0) in the final.

Final Squad: Jean Claude Ndoli, Jean Luc Ndayishimiye, Emery Mvuyekure, Eric Gasana, Emery Bayisenge, Ismail Nshutiyamagara, Albert Ngabo, Gabriel Mugabo, Frederic Ndaka, Jean Baptiste Mugiraneza, Jean Claude Iranzi, Andrew Buteera, Charles Tibingana Mwesigye, Haruna Niyonzima, Tumaine Ntamuhanga, Jerome Sina, Olivier Karekezi, Meddy Kagere, Peter Kagabo and Bokota Labama Kamana.

Dropped players: Evariste Mutuyimana (Police FC), Michelle Rusheshangoga (Ferwafa academy), Soter Kayumba (Etincelles FC) and Innocent Habyarimana (AS Kigali FC).