Regional duel dress rehearsal for Chan 2018

Harambee Stars' Anthony Akumu (left) and Hassan Waswa of Uganda Cranes during friendly match at Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos on Thursday, March 23, 2017. [PHOTO: JONAH ONYANGO/STANDARD]

Former Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup champions the Amavubi of Rwanda are looking forward to using the upcoming edition of the regional tournament as part of their preparation for next year’s Africa Nations Championship (Chan) in Morocco.

Champions Uganda Cranes, who edged out Rwanda 1-0 in the 2015 Cecafa finals, and invited North African side the Mediterranean Knights of Libya are the other two Morocco-bound teams that will feature in the regional tournament that kicks off on Sunday in Machakos.

Unlike other seven participating teams who are only allowed to register a maximum of 20 players as per Cecafa statutes, the trio have been allowed to bring 23 players for the competition.

While the Gor Mahia’s duo of Jacques Tuyisenge and Meddie Kagere were overlooked by former Harambee Stars coach Antoine Hey in his selection for the 23-man Amavubi team, on-loan AFC Leopards midfielder Allan Katerrega was lucky to make it in the Uganda’s travelling party.

The Amavubi, who have been drawn in Group A alongside Kenya’s Harambee Stars, Kilimanjaro Stars of Tanzania, Zanzibar Heroes and Libya, are expected in the country tomorrow.

Tanzania will arrive today, while the flight carrying the Libyan national team is scheduled to touch down at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Saturday.

Despite having won their last regional title in 1999, Amavubi coach Antoine Hey believes this year’s tournament constitutes a last chance for his youthful players to force their way into the Chan finals squad.

“We have agreed that we shall use local players in the CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup, which will help us to prepare the team for CHAN. We chose to maintain the same group that qualified for CHAN but there is still room for others depending on improvement,” He was quoted as saying in the Rwandan newspaper, The New Times.

But the Germany-born tactician knows it will not be a walk in the park as he prepares to re-unite with his former employers, Harambee Stars, in their opening match on Sunday.

“We are taking the competition seriously and we want good results, but first we are looking at how our players can gain confidence and experience during these games. Our players are young and many of them have been playing in local league and we believe they will gain a lot from playing those competitions,” he said.

Meanwhile, hosts Kenya have suffered a major injury blow after Gor Mahia midfielder Kenneth Muguna was ruled out of the upcoming Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup with a thigh injury.

The Kenyan Premier League Player of the Year becomes the second K’ogalo player to be forced out of the national team over injury after defender Harun Shakava.

Muguna has been replaced by Thika United midfielder Said Tsuma.