Football
Tanzania/Burundi: Burundian Star Shines for Simba
Simba SC maintained their winning formula in pre-season football friendly matches, after defeating Uganda Premier League side URA 2-1 at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
Burundian striker Kelvin Ndayisenga, who is on trials at the club proved his credentials with a brilliant goal in opening minutes, but the visitors pulled level midway in the first half. Ugandan central defender Jjuuko Murshid scored the winner deep in the second half.
Simba used the match to test the ability of the Burundian striker Ndayisenga. However, there was no place for Malian striker Makan Dembele, who is also on trials at the club.
The club will possibly sign one of them, to fill the remaining slot for foreign based players registered by the club for next season’s Mainland Premier League.
Simba still needs a striker to provide added competition for new man Hamisi Kiiza, returning veteran Musa Hassan ‘Mgosi’, youthful Ibrahim Ajib and Danny Lyanga, who has replaced controversially dropped Elius Maguri.
They have failed in an attempt to bring Vital’O hitman, Mavugo, who was widely considered to be a direct replacement for departed evergreen Ugandan forward Emmanuel Okwi.
The Amavubi of Rwanda have picked a vital 3-0 win away to Seychelles in the first leg of the preliminary round of the FIFA World Cup 2022 qualifiers played on Thursday.
After a shaky start with several missed chances Muhadhjiri Hakizimana gave Amavubi the lead after 32 minutes at the Unity Stadium in Victoria.
The hosts tried to push forward to level matters but were punished with a quick counter attack with Yannick Mukunzi making no mistake to make it 2-0 after 36 minutes.
In the second half the home team led by skipper Senky Vidot played a highly defensive game. But Tanzania based professional Meddi Kagera got his name on the score sheet after 80 minutes. The return leg will be played on September 10th with the winner over two legs qualifying for the group stage of the qualifiers.
Later today two other members of the Council of East and Central African Football Associations (Cecafa) Sudan and Somalia will also be in action. Sudan will play away to Chad, while Somalia hosts Zimbabwe in the neutral ground in Djibouti.
The preliminary round of the FIFA World Cup 2022 kicks off today with several matches on card. Twenty eight teams lowly ranked by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) will battle to try and win spots in the group stage.
26 teams are already qualified for the group phase thanks to their CAF ranking.
Burundi, fresh from the 2019 Total Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) just like their opponents Tanzania will battle in the first leg in Bujumbura in what promises to be a thriller.
The Red Sea Camels of Eritrea returning to the international stage after 2015 will play host to Namibia at the Asmara Stadium, while Ethiopia take on Lesotho.
The other members of the Council of East and Central African Football Associations (Cecafa) that will be in action include South Sudan who will host Equatorial Guinea in a neutral venue at the Al Hilal Stadium in Khartoum.
French coach Julien Mette will also lead the Djibouti national team in the first leg encounter against Eswatini (Swaziland). The other games on card will see Mauritius take on Mozambique, while Sao Tome e Principe play host to Guinea Bissau and Liberia host Sierra Leone.
On Thursday Rwanda will play away to Seychelles, while Chad host Sudan and Somalia battle Zimbabwe on a neutral venue in Djibouti.
The remaining matches to be played between Friday and Saturday will see Comoros Islands face Togo, Gambia take on Angola and Malawi playing away to Botswana.
CECAFA
Kenyan ambassador in Burundi Ken Vitisia at the opening ceremony of CECAFA Under 17 tournament
Kenyan ambassador in Burundi Ken Vitisia with CECAFA Secretary General Nicholas Musonye in Muyinga during the opening ceremony of CECAFA Under 17 tournament
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