The Council of East and Central Africa Football Association (CECAFA) yesterday officially released the final fixtures for the CAF AFCON Qualifiers kick off in Dar ES salaam, Tanzania Saturday..
Nine countries after the withdrawal of Somali on Thursday will contest to represent the CECAFA zone in the Africa Cup of Nations Under 17 championships that will also be held in Tanzania April next year.
The Qualifiers in Africa were modified early this year, with each of the six zones playing at their backyard to produce the winners that will contest for the honours in the final round next year.
The CECAFA qualifiers will be contested by hosts Tanzania (who already have a direct ticket), Kenya, Uganda, Sudan, Rwanda, Burundi, Ethiopia, South Sudan and Djibouti. The groups are:- Group A Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and Sudan. Group B Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Djibouti and South Sudan.
The secretary General of CECAFA Nicholas Musonye who released the fixtures said they were waiting for CAF medical team to confirm the MRI tests that were done on all the players.
CAF have decided to undertake the MRI tests in all the zonal qualifiers to avoid age cheating. Those teams that will found to have engaged in age cheating will be disqualified from the competition.
Musonye was optimistic that the MRI results will affect any of the nine teams.
The tournament kicks off Saturday with Sudan playing Rwanda at 2.00-pm and hosts Tanzania playing Burundi at 5.00pm at the National stadium.
The tournament is sponsored by CAF and UEFA under UEFA assist special programme.
Uefa delegates are scheduled to arrive in Dar this saturday to attend the opening ceremony.
Musonye also confirmed that all the referees for the competetion had been tested and all were fit to officiate the qualifiers.

Nicholas Musonye,Secretary General Cecafa left and TFF Media Officer  Cliford Mario Ndimbo addressing press conference in Dar Es salaam Tanzania yesterday.

U 17 2019 qualifiers opening day.It has been a  bright starter for Rwanda after beating Sudan 3-1 in the opening match of the CECAFA Zonal AFCON U 17 2019 qualifiers at the Tanzania National Stadium in Dar Es salaam on Saturday.

Moise Nyarugabo scored the opening goal for Rwanda in the 30th minute, while three minutes later Rodrigue Isingizwe netted the second goal to make the first half of the match end 2-0 in favor of Rwanda.

A substitute Mohamed Badr Baker bagged the lonely goal for Sudan in the 71st minute as Sudan’s Falcons of Jediane tried to fight back. Jean Ishimwe netted the 3rd goal for Rwanda in 89th minute to make the final score
3-1.

Meanwhile hosts Tanzania vanquished Burundi 2-1 in the second match of group A which also took place at the national facility in Dar Es Salaam.Kelvin John scored Tanzania’s first goal in the 10th minute.

Nibikora Athur of Burundi equalized in the 20thminute, but a goal from Agiri Ngoda in the 28th minute was enough for Tanzania to win Saturday’s match 2-1.

As scheduled Sunday’s matches for group B will take place at Chamazi stadium outside Dar es Salaam, where South Sudan will face Djibouti in the first match, while Uganda will clash Ethiopia in the second match.