Branko to unveil Cecafa Team today

After keeping many Rwandans guessing on which players will make up the team that will represent Rwanda in the CECAFA Senior challenge cup that is due to begin in Kampala on December 31st 2008, Amavubi Stars head coach Tucak Branko will today name his final squad. Rwanda, seeking their second title, needs to field a strong team that will compete favourably. Rwanda will begin off the campaign by playing hosts on the 1st of January 2009 at Namboole stadium. The regional football showpiece which also counts as the oldest competition in African football is scheduled to run from December 31-January 13 at Uganda’s Namboole and Bugembe stadiums. According to Amavubi Stars’ technical team, Branko who is on the verge of having his first taste of Cecafa action will name his 20-man team this evening, just hours before the team’s departure. The team departs Monday afternoon aboard Rwandair, two days before their much anticipated clash with bitter rivals Uganda. Rwanda has a fairly difficult route after being drawn in Group A alongside Tanzania, Zanzibar, Somalia and usual nemesis Uganda. Although the team has been deprived of key players like its captain Olivier Karekezi, Haruna Niyonzima, Patrick Mafisango, Jean Baptista Mugiraneza and Jean Luc Ndayishimiye, Ferwafa is confident that it will deliver. “It is true that the team is without some of its key players but from what we have seen in training, there is no need to worry. The players have been working very hard in training and are very focused at the task at hand,” the team manager said. Niyonzima, Mugiraneza and Ndayishimiye are all part of the U-20 team that is currently in Tunisia gearing up for next month’s African Youth Championship while Mafisango, arguably Rwanda’s top midfielder is out citing family commitments. Branko will now rely on the experience of Jean Lomami and Elias Ntaganda. The duo was recently recalled to the team after being dropped on the account of poor discipline in last month’s international friendly between Amavubi and Togo in Lome. The tournament kicks off this Wednesday with a Group B game between Zambia and Djibouti. Other Group B teams include defending champions Sudan, Kenya and Burundi and according to the Cecafa organizers, all Group B games will be played at Bugembe stadium, which is about one and a half hours’ drive from Kampala. At the end of the preliminary action, the top two sides will automatically advance to the last four. It is also reported that on top of the twenty players, the team will be accompanied by a technical staff of seven. Ferwafa Chief Executive Officer Jules Kalisa highlighted that Rwanda’s football governing body (Ferwafa) will foot the bills for the extra two officials as Cecafa only takes care of 25 squad members. Last year, Amavubi Stars orchestrated by Olivier Karekezi battled their way to the final only to lose to Sudan 2-4 on penalties after a 2-2 draw in normal time. It was a terrible result to stomach for Rwandans who were seconds away from recording their second Cecafa title. Rwanda’s only silverware came back in 1999 when they hosted the annual event. Just like Rwanda, Uganda is equally desperate to pick up something from this tournament. Despite being the most successful team in the competition with nine titles, the Uganda Cranes are eager to redeem their faded pride after failing to qualify for the final round of the 2010 World/African Nations Cup. Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan and Zambia are the only teams in the event that reached this stage. The tournament is also expected to be Tucak’s first taste of action in the region. Cecafa 2008 Hosts- UgandaStadiums- Namboole & Bugembe Group A: Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Zanzibar and Somalia. Group B: Sudan, Kenya, Burundi, Zambia and Djibouti. Ends