Junior Wasps quartet gets Amavubi nod

Group HSeptember 3Rwanda vs Ivory CoastBurundi vs Benin October 4Benin vs RwandaIvory Coast vs Burundi SELLAS Tetteh has included four Junior Wasps players in his 27-man provisional team ahead of next month’s 2012 Africa Nations Cup return leg qualifier against Ivory Coast. The crucial tie will be played in Kigali on September 3. The quartet includes Marcel Nzarora (goalkeeper), Emery Bayisenge (central defence) and the Ugandan-based pair of Andrew Buteera (striker) and Charles Mwesigye Tibingana (winger). The call up is testament of their impressive display in the Fifa U-17 World Cup held in Mexico back in June. AS Cannes based striker Elias Uzamukunda, Motema Pembe’s pair - Bokota Labama and Kalisa Mao, Patrick Mafisango (Simba) and Haruna Niyonzima, who recently joined Tanzanian giants Yanga FC, are some of the professionals summoned for the match. New Rayon Sport recruit Abedi Makasi and former Amavubi skipper Olivier Karekezi, who featured in the last qualifier against Burundi, were overlooked. Another notable omission is APR’s influential midfielder Jean Baptista Mugiraneza a.k.a Migi, who is suspended for the tie after being sent off in the Burundi return leg. Rwanda’s chances of qualifying heavily depend on this fixture. Victory will profoundly boost their chances of sneaking through while defeat will all but end their qualification hopes. It was been a tough run for the wasps after three defeats in four qualifiers - Ivory Coast (0-3), Benin (0-3) and Burundi (1-3). Rwanda’s only win came in the first leg qualifier against Burundi (3-1). The torrid run means that Rwanda remains bottom of Group H with three points. The Elephants are at the helm with 12 points and have already qualified for Equatorial Guinea/Gabon finals while Benin and Burundi are tied on four points although the West Africans enjoy a superior goal difference. To qualify, Amavubi need to finish second or among the best three qualifiers in the eleven groups. This means they have to beat Ivory Coast and Benin, and hope that results in the other games (Burundi vs. Benin and Ivory Coast vs. Benin) go their way. Amavubi pre-selected squad: Jean Luc Ndayishimiye, Jean Claude Ndoli, Patrick Rutayisire, Evariste Mutuyimana, Marcel Nzarora, Albert Ngabo, Jean de Dieu Uwineza, Abouba Sibomana, Donatien Tuyizere, Eric Gasana, Ismail Nshutiyamagara, Hussein Sibomana, Heriman Ngoma, Fabrice Twagizimana, Peter Kagabo, Adolphe Hakundukize, Eric Ndahayo, Jean Claude Iranzi, Eric Serugaba, Jacques Tuyisenge and Emery Bayisenge. Pros: Elias Uzamukunda, Bokota Labama, Haruna Niyonzima, Patrick Mafisango, Mao Kalisa, Charles Tibingana and Andrew Buteera. Ends

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Junior Wasps quartet gets Amavubi nod