_{The Tanzania national football team, Taifa Stars will have a new coach in-charge when they play their next matches in the qualifiers of the 2023 TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).}

_{Experienced coach Adel Amrouche who has handled the national teams of Yemen, Kenya, Equatorial Guinea, Botswana and Libya is Taifa Stars’ new coach.}

_{The Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) made the announcement of Amrouche’s appointment on Saturday.}

_{“He has coached clubs and teams from various parts of the continent and in 2013, he clinched Best East African coach after guiding Harambee Stars of Kenya to the CECAFA Challenge championship. “Before that, he led Burundi into two finals of the same competition,” reads part of the statement released by TFF’s head of Communication Clifford Ndimbo.}

_{Wallace Karia, the TFF President also told Cecafaonline during a brief chat at the Federation’s technical Centre in Kigamboni said they are pleased to have a new coach. “He is a good and experienced coach who has agreed to handle our team,” says Karia.}

_{The 57 year old Amrouche is expected to start work immediately to prepare Taifa Stars for their two back-to-back matches against Uganda Cranes in the 2023 AFCON qualifiers.}

_{Algeria lead group F with six points after two matches, while Niger with 2 points are second. Tanzania and Uganda are tied on one point each after two matches played by each team.}

_{Burundi kick started their campaign in the TotalEnergies U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers for the CECAFA Zone with a 5-0 win against Djibouti in a Group A match played on Friday evening.}

_{All the goals were netted in the second half at the Al Hilal Stadium in Khartoum, Sudan.}

_{After a goalless first half Chakib Ali Omar got a one on one chance, but fired straight to the Burundian goalkeeper Papy Habuka after 53 minutes.}

_{Arthur Nibikora put Burundi ahead after 61 minutes with a well taken low shot that beat Djibouti’s goalkeeper Said Mouktar Youssouf. With just a minute after coming on to the pitch substitute Kessy Jordan Nimbona netted Burundi’s second goal after 64 minutes.}

_{Later Nibikora netted two more goals to complete his hattrick, while Alfred Nkurunziza made it 5-0. Djibouti’s Chakib Ali Omar was carried away in an ambulance after an aerial collision with a Burundian player.}

_{Mohamed Meraneh Hassan, the Djibouti coach said his team started well, but got tired in the second half. “This is a young team that lacks experience,” he added.}

_{The Burundi coach Gustave Niyonkuru said although his players failed to find goals in the first half, he is happy they won the match with a big score. “It is good to start a tournament with a big win,” added Niyonkuru.}

_{In the second Group A match played hosts Sudan were held to a goalless draw by South Sudan.}

_{On Saturday reigning champions Uganda will face Tanzania in the only Group B match on card.}

The Amavubi Stars of Rwanda picked a point in their first Group L match played against Mozambique on Thursday night.

Rwanda held Mozambique 1-1 in a match played at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa.

After a goalless first half, Blaise Nishimwe gave Rwanda the lead after 65 minutes.

But the Mambas who dominated the match pushed forward and leveled matters two minutes later through Stanley Ratifo. The two teams continued to push forward and create some good scoring chances, but failed to convert.

Carlos Alos Ferrer, the Rwanda head coach said that although it was a match they could have won, he is happy that they have picked the first point in the first match. “We need to work hard and continue preparing before we face the African champions Senegal,” added the coach.

On Saturday the second Group L match will see Senegal hosts Benin at the new Stade Abdoulaye Wade in Diamniadio.

Five teams from the CECAFA region Burundi, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Sudan will also be in action on Saturday. Burundi will play away to Malawi, while South Sudan also take on hosts Gambia.

The Taifa Stars of Tanzania will play away to Niger, Sudan battle Mauritania, and Uganda take on FIFA Arab Cup reigning champions Algeria in Algiers.