NEWS
CECAFA U-23 Challenge Cup: What the coaches say after the group stage
The CECAFA U-23 Challenge Cup group stage climaxed on July 24th with nine matches played in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia. The coaches had this to say.
Kim Poulsen (Head Coach, Tanzania)
We are very happy to qualify for the semi finals because our preparations were close to zero since the Tanzania Premier League has just ended. We were also in a very tough group and we surely battled strongly to make it to the next stage.
I think Uganda also deserved to be in the semi final because they play well. We shall not underrate our opponents South Sudan who we face in the semi final. We shall have to approach the semi final match very differently.
Morley Byekwaso (Head Coach, Uganda)
I thank the boys because for the fighting spirit they have showed in the two matches. We created several scoring chances in this tournament, but did not use them well. But it’s a good experience for my young team as we still have two more classification matches.
We need to prepare our teams for the future and this tournament is good to try out players.
Julien Mette (Head Coach, Djibouti)
Ofcourse it is not good to see us failing to win or even score a single goal. But I am happy that the young players have got more exposure from the two matches we played against Kenya and South Sudan. It is from such matches that players get more experience and can be able to improve.
Simon James Yor (Head Coach, South Sudan)
Qualifying for the semi final is very good for my players because it means they have more competitive matches to play and this will help them to develop and become better players. We know the Tanzanian team that we face in the semi final is strong, but we shall prepare well for them.
Wubetu Abate Wubetu (head Coach, Ethiopia)
I am not happy with the way my players played the two group games where we picked draws. We need to improve as a team to take our chances and always shoot at goal instead of holding onto the ball and lack that final finish. But the tournament is good for testing and improving our young players.
Jimmy Ndayizeye (Head Coach, Burundi)
I am impressed with the concentration of my players and we hope they can keep focused for the game against Kenya. We have brought some of our young players from Europe to be tested in this tournament and am happy with the progress. Facing Kenya will not be easy because they have showed they are strong by winning their two games in the pool.
Jean Claude Loboko (Head Coach, DR Congo)
Although we failed to qualify for the semi finals, we are happy that the young players are getting the much needed experience from this tournament. Yes we have been good at creating many scoring chances, but finishing remains our problem.
Stanley Khayo Okumbi (Head Coach, Kenya)
Five goals and two wins makes us happy as the technical bench. But we need to tune out minds and prepare well ahead of the tough match against Burundi. Although we have won all our two games in the group stage, I believe we still have to improve on some aspects.
Yohannes Tesfay Giday (Assistant Coach, Eritrea)
Although we failed to win a single game in the group stage, this has been a good outing for the players. We shall try to field players who have not got a lot of playing time in the remaining two classification matches.
Rayon Sports FC captain Emmanuel Nshimiyimana has been voted Best Player in the just concluded CECAFA Kagame Cup.
Nshimiyimana who led his team to win the regional Cup received his Award during the awards ceremony at the Amahoro Stadium on Friday night
The towering defender showed his good leadership and defending skills on the pitch that saw Rayon Sports FC win all their five matches in the tournament.
He also guided Rayon Sports FC to win the Fair Play Award, while Ansumana Samura (Al Hilal SC) and APR FC’s Djibril Quattara won the top scorers’ goon.
Rayon Sports FC’s Junior Dande was also voted the Best goalkeeper of the tournament.
All roads lead to the Amahoro Stadium in Kigali on Friday to witness the 2026 CECAFA Kagame Cup 2026 final between Rayon Sport FC and Kenya’s Gor Mahia FC.
While Gor Mahia will be chasing a fourth regional title, the Rwanda Premier League side will be hoping to collect a second one after they lifted it in 1998.
To reach the final Rayon Sport FC ejected South Sudan’s Jamus SC 3-1, while a 10-man Gor Mahia side battled to a 1-1 draw after 120 and 120 minutes of play, and eventually carried the day 8-7 on penalty shoot outs.
Francis Christian Haringingo, the Rayon Sport FC head coach has made it clear that although they have won all the four matches they have played in the tournament, the final is a different ball game.
“We are happy to reach the final and we shall fight to make sure that we remain with the trophy in Rwanda. Gor Mahia FC is a good team and we shall handle them with a lot of respect,” added Haringingo.
The coach made it clear that the tactical awareness and strategy in dealing with the match will determine major factors. “We beat them 2-0 during the Rayon Day celebrations and we know they will come all out,” added the Rayon Sport Coach.
But the Gor Mahia FC coach Charles Kwablan Akonnor has also sounded a warning ahead of the final making it clear his team will not be an easy nut to crack. “I am always hungry as a coach and my players know what I expect of them. We are aware it will not be an easy game playing a home side that is so disciplined, but we know how we shall handle the match,” added the Ghanaian tactician.
In the group stages Rayon Sport FC stopped KVZ SC (Zanzibar) 2-0, and went on to defeat Tusker FC (Kenya) and Al Hilal SC (Sudan) by the same 1-0 margin. Gor Mahia FC kick started the campaign with a high scoring 5-0 win against Rwanda giants APR FC, lost 1-0 to Uganda’s Vipers FC, and concluded the group campaign with a 1-0 win against Garde Republicaine (Djibouti).
But before the grand finale, the play-off to determine which teams finishes third will see Al Hilal SC face surprise package Jamus SC.
The champion will bag US$30,000, while the runner-up takes US$20,000, and the third placed team US$10,000.
The curtains will come down on Friday with the final of the CECAFA Kagame Cup 2026 between Rayon Sport FC and Gor Mahia FC takes place at the Amahoro Stadium in Kigali, Rwanda.
Supported by the Rwanda President Paul Kagame since 2002, the regional tournament which has grown in stature returned to Rwanda after seven years.
This year the tournament attracted 12 teams from nine countries and the head coaches of various teams have all hyped praise on Rwanda for being good hosts.
Hababuu Ali Omar (KVZ SC Coach): “This has been a well organized tournament and we are happy that it also gave us opportunity to prepare the team ahead of the new season.”
Guy Bukasa Misakabu (Al Hilal SC Coach): “The CECAFA Kagame Cup has given us the best chance to test the squad ahead of a busy new season. Rwanda have been very good hosts and we have liked the tournament.”
Saber Ben Jabria (Jamus SC Coach): “The organisation of the tournament by CECAFA has been good and the hosts Rwanda have also been good. The tournament has helped me test and know players since I am a new coach.”
Steven Robert Barker (Simba SC Coach): “Rwanda have been very good hosts because everything was well arranged together with CECAFA. Since it was pre-season it gave us good opportunity to test players.”
Harringingo Francis Christian (Rayon Sport FC Coach): “Getting to the final after winning all matches has been a good things for us during this pre-season tournament. We have loved the way of organistion by hosts Rwanda and CECAFA.”
Dadir Amin Ali (Mogadishu City Club Coach): “This tournament gave us the chance to test the team well since we are still playing the League back in Somalia and also preparation for the CAF Confederation Cup.”
Kadir Ahmed Robleh (Garde Republicaine FC Coach): “We liked the level of organisation by Rwanda and CECAFA. The tournament gave us chance for good exposure with other teams around the region.”
Denis Jean Lavagne (Vipers SC Coach): “As a new coach at the Club this tournament has given my a good insight of what kind of players we have and how we can sue them in the season. The Kagame Cup was well organized and we thank Rwanda and CECAFA.”
Taleb Abderrahim (APR FC Coach): “It was disappointing that we failed to qualify form the group. But we learnt lessons that will help us as we continue with the pre-season ahead of a busy new season. We thank the hosts and organisers of the tournament.”
Papy Okitankoyi Kimoto (Singida Black Stars FC Coach): “Although we failed to defend the title, the tournament gave us good ground to practice and try out several players ahead of the bust season. Rwanda were very good hosts.”
Charles Kwabian Akonnor (Gor Mahia FC Coach): “ This has been a well organised tournament and we thank Rwanda and CECAFA for the good work. It has helped us as a team to prepare better during this pre-season and the bonus is getting to the final.”
Sudan’s Al Hilal SC have been drawn against Burundi Premier League champions Aigle Noir CS in the first preliminary round of the 2026/2027 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.
The draw was conducted on Friday in Cairo, Egypt.
The 2025/2026 quarter finalists Al Hilal SC will play the first leg in Burundi between September 4-6th, and later hosts their return leg in Kigali between September 11-13th.
Incase they go past the first hurdle, Sudan’s Al Hilal SC will then face the winner between Aigloms FC N’Djamena (Chad) and Sidaama Buna FC (Ethiopia).
“The CECAFA Kagame Cup has given us good preparations ahead of the CAF Champions League,” says Al Hilal SC head coach Guy Bukasa Misakabu.
South Sudan Premier League champions El Merriekh SC Bentiu will also make a return to the competition when they face Heegan SC (Somalia), while Gor Mahia FC (Kenya) take on Pyramids FC (Egypt) in the first preliminary round.
Uganda’s Vipers SC will take on Mauritania’s giants FC Nouadhibou, APR FC (Rwanda) face Les Aigles Du Congo, while Young Africans SC (tanzania) play Botswana’s Gaborone Utd FC.
The three highest-ranked clubs earned a bye through the first preliminary round: South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns, Esperance and Renaissance Berkane.
The second preliminary round follows a similar pattern. First legs fall between 16 and 18 October, and the return matches take place from the 23rd to the 25th.
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