The Amavubi of Rwanda are through to the last phase of the TotalEnergies Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) 2025 qualifiers.

After losing the first leg 1-0 to Djibouti few days ago, Rwanda returned a changed side to defeat the same side 3-1 in the return leg played at the Amahoro Stadium on Thursday in Kigali.

Cheered on by the President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, the Amavubi took an early lead through Olivier Dushimimana after 10 minutes.

The striker made no mistake when he capitalized on Kevin Muhire’s cross to place the ball past Djibouti’s goalkeeper Sulait Luyima. Mahad Abdi had his shot blocked later after 19 minutes by Rwanda’s goalkeeper.

Dushimimana was at it again netting his second goal of the day after 24 minutes. After recess, the Djibouti team tried to settle down and close gaps on the pitch. But Arsene Tuyisenge made it 3-0 for the hosts at the stroke of full time.

Frank Spittler, the Rwanda coach said his players had responded well after losing the first leg. “I am happy about the way the players expressed themselves today and we need to keep working hard because there is another stage of the qualifiers,” added Spittler.

Rwanda who qualified on a 3-1 goal aggregate will now wait to gave the winner between Kenya and South Sudan in the final phase of the qualifiers.

On Sunday Tanzania will host Sudan in Dar es Salaam, while Kenya face South Sudan in Nairobi. Sudan stopped Tanzania 1-0, while South Sudan brushed aside Kenya 2-0 in the first leg.

The CECAFA Zone will be represented by four teams when the CHAN 2025 tournament takes place in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania in February 2025.

Six teams from the CECAFA Zone were on Sunday engaged in the first preliminary round of the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2025 qualifiers.

Djibouti who hosted the first leg at the Amahoro Stadium in Kigali shocked Rwanda 1-0 with the lone goal scored by Gabriel Ddadzie.

The Djibouti team hosted the first leg away from home because they do not have a Stadium approved by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and FIFA.

In Juba, hosts South Sudan defeated Kenya 2-0 in a match played at the Juba National Stadium. After a goalless first half, the South Sudan intensified their search for goals and scored through Ezibon Malish five minutes after restart, and Yohanna Paulino after 68 minutes.

“We are very happy to win the first leg. Now we must prepare better for the return leg to be played in Kampala, “ said South Sudan’s Coach Nicolas Dupius.

Sudan who hosted Tanzania at the National Stadium in Nouakchott, Mauritania also picked a slim 1-0 victory. Andel Raman scored the goal after 23 minutes. Eritrea and Ethiopia are also set to clash on October 31^st in a match to be played in Juba, South Sudan.

The return legs will be played between November 1-3, 2024, while second round matches take centre stage between December 20-22 for the first round, and the return legs December 25-27, 2024.

The CHAN  2025 will be hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania between February 1-28th, 2025.

Somalia has pulled out of the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) preliminary round qualifiers that kick-off this weekend.

Yusuf Ahmed, the General Secretary of the Somalia Football Federation (SFF) confirmed to Cecafaonline.com that they will not be able to field a team. “We decided to withdraw because of financial challenges,” explained Ahmed.

Burundi who were meant to face Somalia in the first round of the preliminary stage now earn a walkover where they will face Uganda in the final phase.

Meanwhile, in the other CHAN 2025 qualifiers for the teams in the CECAFA Zone Sudan will host Tanzania in a first leg match to be played on October 27^th, 2024 in Nouakchott, Mauritania. The same day South Sudan will play host to Kenya at the Juba National Stadium.

Djibouti who donot have a stadium cleared by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) will also host the first leg against Rwanda at the Amahoro Stadium in Kigali on Sunday.

The return legs will be played between November 1-3, 2024, while second round matches take centre stage between December 20-22 for the first round, and the return legs December 25-27, 2024.

The tournament will be hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania between February 1-28th, 2025. CECAFA will have four teams play in the CHAN 2024, while all the other Zones COSAFA, WAFU A, WAFU B, UNAF and UNIFFAC will have three teams each.

_{Sudan and Uganda Cranes have picked away wins in the first leg encounters of the final round in the TotalEnergies African Nations (CHAN) Championship.}

_{Ethiopia and Rwanda battled to a goalless draw in a match played in Dar es Salaam on Friday. The same day Sudan picked a 4-1 win away against Djibouti in a match which was played in Marrakech, Morocco.}

_{Djibouti could not host the match at home since none of their Stadiums meets CAF standards to host CHAN qualifiers. Mohamed Abdulrahman netted a brace, while Alsamani Alsawi and Yasir Mozamil also got their names on the score sheet for Sudan.}

_{In another match played on Sunday at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam, substitute Travis Mutyaba netted a late goal to hand Uganda Cranes an advantage before the return leg is played on September 3rd at the St. Marys Stadium in Kitende in Uganda.}

_{The CHAN tournament is exclusively meant for players featuring in local League in Africa. Initially the CHAN tournament was meant to take place this year, but CAF rescheduled it to take place January 2023 next year in Algeria.}