Rwanda’s Junior Wasps (Amavubi) head coach Vincent Mashami is optimistic that his side will beat Kenya’s Rising Stars in Saturday’s return leg of the African Youth Championships qualifiers at Kigali Stadium.
Rwanda held Kenya to a 1-1 draw in the first leg match at the Kenyatta Stadium a fortnight ago after a late goal from APR striker Lague Byiringiro cancelled out Kenya’s lead, which came through Richard Odada.
“I think we have a very good chance to qualify because we are hungry, but we need to prepare well the return leg at home. We will work hard in every aspect of the team. We are confident that the players will be ready for the challenge ahead,” said coach Vincent Mashami.
The Junior Wasps defeated AS Kigali 2-1 in a warm-up game on Wednesday, with Lague Byiringiro scoring a brace in the 22nd and 36th minutes, while Emmanuel Ngama scored for Eric Nshimiyimana’s side, who are third on the Azam Premier League table.
The Kenya Rising Stars arrived in Kigali on Thursday afternoon and held their final training at Kigali Stadium on Friday.
“I have seen how Kenya. I saw two or three players who might be a challenge to us but I also have measures to contain them,” a bullish Mashami added
The final qualifying round will be staged in July with the winner earning a slot to next year’s Africa U-20 Cup of Nations finals tournament in Niger.
The Express News
