Preliminary round two
Feb. 29, 2011
Rwanda   vs Nigeria
Ethiopia   vs  Benin
Rep. of Congo  vs Uganda
Burundi  vs  Zimbabwe
Kenya   vs Togo
Tanzania  vs Mozambique

After failing to end an 11-year trophy drought by losing to Uganda in the final of the 2011 Cecafa Tusker Challenge Cup in Dar-es-Salaam at the weekend, Rwanda has now to turn focus on the race to qualify for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa according.

Still disappointed by the loss on Saturday, head coach Sredojovic ‘Micho’ Milutin said yesterday, "We are starting preparations for Nigeria immediately. I have assessed the standard of each player who was in Cecafa.”

"We’ll continue looking at other players as we seek to reinforce the team to be ready for Nigeria. We are training with European based players next week and this will help us to assemble a good team that can battle Nigeria,” stated the Serb, who has enjoyed a good start to life as Amavubi Stars coach.

Amavubi host the Super Eagles, currently managed by Stephen Keshi [who was  also in the running to replace Gahaian Sellas Tetteh], on February 29 with the return leg expected in Abuja on the weekend of June 15-17.

Fans will recall that the Wasps played a part in the Super Eagles’ failure to make the Germany 2006 World Cup when they held their mighty opponents to a 1-1 draw in Kigali. In fact but for a late Obafemi Martins strike, Rwanda could have even stung their more illustrious opponents.

However, the match will be remembered for the absence of then Super Eagles skipper, Jay Jay Okocha, who claimed he could not locate the Eagles hotel in London after ‘missing’ his way.

The preliminary phase of the qualifiers will start with the countries which failed to qualify for the tournament in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea in January 2012.

Fifteen countries that make it through the preliminary qualifiers will be drawn against fifteen teams from the 2012 tournament.

South Africa qualify automatically as hosts, after taking over from Libya, who will now organise the 2017 competition.

All 16 teams who will compete in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon 2012 get a bye to the final round of qualifiers.

To start with, Seychelles will play Swaziland and Sao Tome will take on Lesotho in double-headed ties for the right to go into the preliminary draw.

Then there are 14 head-to-head ties to determine who goes forward to the final round, where the 16 teams who made it to the 2012 event will join the race for 2013.

The opening rounds of the campaign will take place in early 2012 and the final round of qualifying will happen in September and October next year.

bonnie.mugabe@newtimes.co.rw