Amavubi handed tough Cecafa Cup draw

Group A: Tanzania, Rwanda, Ethiopia and Djibouti Group B: Uganda, Burundi, Zanzibar and Somalia Group C: Sudan, Kenya, Malawi and Eritrea RWANDA have been handed a daunting task against hosts Tanzania in Group A of the 2011 Tusker Cecafa Challenge Cup, due in Dar es Salaam, from November 25-December 10. In the draw held yesterday in Dar es salaam, Rwanda was placed in Group A alongside Tanzania, Ethiopia and Djibouti. It’s probably the group of death. In last year’s event Rwanda lost to Tanzania 0-1 in the quarter finals to bow out of the tournament and the hosts went on to lift the title. Elsewhere, in Group B, Uganda will square off against Burundi, Zanzibar and Somalia, while Sudan, who qualified to next year’s Africa Cup of Nations due to be held in Equatorial Guinea/Gabon, will face-off Kenya, Malawi and Eritrea. Amavubi head coach Milutin Sredejovic Micho told Times Sport yesterday: “I am excited with this challenge. We approach every game as if we are playing a final game for us.” “We have to reach the quarter finals and from there, there is a possibility of performing better to reach the finals “I have worked in all these countries (apart for Djibouti), so I am well conversant with their football and hope this will help us in our campaign to lift the title,” added Micho. According to Nicholas Musonye, secretary general of the Council of East and Central Africa Football (Cecafa), plans for this year’s event are in advanced stages. Cecafa had intended to invite Zambia and Ivory Coast but, because of CAF regulations forbidding teams that have qualified for CAN to take part in any competition after the draw have been done, made them withdraw their invitations and instead invited Malawi. Musonye added that fixtures and venues will be announced before the end of this week. Cecafa has received TSh. 823,000,000 (about $450,000) for the two-week show piece which brings together twelve nations. Apart from host and defending champions Tanzania, other teams are Zanzibar, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Djibouti, Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Eritrea and guest team Malawi. Ends

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Amavubi handed tough Cecafa Cup draw