U20 team summoned for Francophone Games

JUNIOR WASPS head coach Richard Tardy has summoned a strong 20-man youthful squad to start preparations ahead of the forthcoming Francophone Games, scheduled for September 6–15 in Nice, France.Speaking to Saturday Sport yesterday, Tardy said, “I have summoned 16 players and left open four slots which will be filled next week.”“I have a little problem with some of the APR players, heading to Kenya for the EAC Military games yet I feel their contribution will be vital to our campaign,” he added.The Frenchman noted that the four reserved places would be filled by some of the foreign-based players who will be determined after a technical staff meeting in the coming days.Among the 26 players summoned, nine are from APR FC. However, with the EAC Military games coming up, only five will be available for the initial training. They include Emery Bayisenge, Michel Rusheshangonga, Andrew Buteera, Barnabe Mubumbyi and Maxime Sekamana.The players away with the army side are goalie Olivier Kwizera, Charles Mwesigye Tibingana, Eric Nsabimana and Patrick Sibomana.Tardy’s main worry though is the fact that Amavubi head coach Eric Nshimiyimana will need 80 per cent of his team’s players when Rwanda starts preparations for the final Group H World cup qualifier against Benin away in Porto Novo on September 8.The majority of players in Tardy’s squad featured for Rwanda at the 2011 Fifa World Cup finals in Mexico and he has boosted the team with young promising players including AS Kigali pair of Mohamed Mushimiyimana, Hamidu Ndayisaba and APR duo of Sekamana and Mubumbyi.Some of the professional players, who might be included in the squad include Belgium-based defender Jean Marie Rusingizandekwe [Marines], Alfred Martin Mugabo [Arsenal reserve side] and Bon Fils Kabanda [Nancy-France].The team which starts training on August 5 will head to France on August 20 to acclimatisze and play a series of build-up matches against amateur clubs before the competition kicks off.Rwanda will be making her debut in the football competition in Group D along with the hosts France, Congo Brazzaville and Canada.They will start their quest against Congo Brazzaville on September 6; take on Canada two days after before winding up their group stage quest against hosts France on September 10.Group A is made up of Cote d’Ivoire, Cape Verde, Democratic Republic of Congo and Niger, Group B has Gabon, Senegal, Haiti, and Lebanon; while Cameroon, Morocco, Burkina Faso and Chad will battle in Group C.Provisional squad:Steven Ntaribi [Isonga FC], Marcel Nzarora [La Jeunesse], Michel Rusheshangonga [APR], Faustin Usengimana [Rayon Sports], Emery Bayisenge [APR], Patrick Umwungeri [SC Kiyovu], François Hakizimana [SC Kiyovu] and Célestin Ndayishimiye [Isonga].Others are, Robert Ndatimana [Rayon Sports], Hamidu Ndayisaba [AS Kigali], Mohamed Mushimiyimana [AS Kigali], Janvier Benedata [APR], Maxime Sekamana [APR], Barnabe Mubumbyi [APR] and Justin Mico [Isonga].