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CHAN Group Pairings:

Group A (Casablanca): Morocco, Guinea, Sudan, Mauritania
Group B (Marrakech): Ivory Coast, Zambia, Uganda, Namibia
Group C (Tangier): Libya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Equatorial Guinea
Group D (Agadir): Angola, Cameroon, Congo, Burkina Faso

Rwanda will play against Nigeria, Libya and Equatorial Guinea in Group C at the 2018 African Nations Championships (CHAN) finals tournament.

The biennial football championship reserved for player featuring in their respective domestic leagues will take place from January 13 – February 4 in Morocco. The matches of Group C will be played in Tangier.

The Draw Ceremony held at the Hotel Sofitel Rabat on Friday evening. Hosts Morocco, Guinea, Sudan and Mauritania are in Group A. The Atlas Lions will take on Mauritania in the opening match of the competition at the Mohamed V Stadium in Casablanca on Jan. 13.

Ivory Coast, who hosts of the inaugural edition of the competition in 2009, head Group B that also includes Zambia, Uganda and Namibia. Group D has 2011 runners-up Angola, Cameroon, Congo and Burkina Faso.

Amavubi captain Eric ‘Bakame’ Ndayishimiye believes Rwanda side is capable of getting out of group stage.

“At the last edition, we were eliminated in the quarter-finals by DR Congo, who went on to win the tournament but next year we need to improve. Every tournament has uniqueness but our target will be to go match per match,” Ndayishimiye told Sunday Sport.

The Rayon Sports shot-stopper admitted that, “It is a big tournament for us as players. We have drawn with strong and experienced like Nigeria and Libya but we are upbeat for the games and we will give our best to get out of group.”

Rwanda were the last qualifier after eliminating Ethiopia 3-2 on aggregate, having won the first leg in Addis Ababa before drawing goalless in the second leg in Kigali.

Super Eagles will be favourites to top the group but Ndayishimiye noted that Amavubi players know what they have to do if the team is get points from “winnable” games against Libya and Equatorial Guinea.

“They are all good teams that have qualified for the finals but we need to show that Rwanda is a big team too that can beat anyone. Yes, Nigeria are the favourites in our group but I believe we can get results against Libya and Guinea,” he noted.

Rwanda’s previous appearance at the biennial championship was in 2011 in Sudan and 2016 as hosts.

“Article Credit: The New Times”

Rayon Sports players have paid glowing tribute to their late former assistant coach Hamadi ‘Katauti’ Ndikumana, who passed away Tuesday night at his home in Nyakabanda and was laid to rest on Wednesday.

The 39-year old former Rayon Sports and Amavubi captain passed away on the same night as another ex-Rwanda international Bonaventure ‘Gangi’ Hategekimana.

While Gangi had spent a couple of months in hospital after he had initially been discharged, Katauti’s death came as a complete shock as he had participated in Rayon’s training session earlier in the day (Tuesday) – only hours before his sudden death.

Rayon Sports captain Eric ‘Bakame’ Ndayishimiye disclosed how the team trained normally on Tuesday afternoon with assistant coach Katauti taking part in a training match over 90 minutes before he returned home like everyone else.

“He took charge of training and even took part (in training match), it was the first time he had played with us for 90 minutes and when I heard news that he had died, at first I didn’t believe it until I heard from different people. He was a nice person, we’ll miss him,” Bakame told Times Sport.

He added, “His death really caught all us by surprise, which is why I first questioned the news when I first heard it and then I learnt that Gangi had also passed away that same night, it’s really sad candidiasis for not only Rwandan football but the sports fraternity.”

Midfielder Yannick Mukunzi said the club and the country had lost an important man, who still had so much to contribute to advance Rwandan football due to his vast experience playing in Europe.

“It is hard to understand, because Katauti, by the time he passed away, he did not have any health complications, at least according to what the (Rayon Sports club) doctor told us” the Rwandan interatonal noted.

He further stated that, “I have known him as a good man, simple in society, and yes, we will always remember him. He made working with him in training enjoyable because he was hands-on and when you didn’t understand his message, he would demonstrate it practically.”

Central defender Faustin Usengimana noted, “My heart is broken because Katauti was not only my coach but he my friend and role model; he inspired me to play in this position.”

AS Kigali head coach, Eric Nshimiyimana, who says he knew both Katauti and Gangi quite well but especially the former from a young age said, “Both were my friends especially Katauti and we shall miss them, but that is God’s plan, today its them, tomorrow is someone else.

<The New Times>

Kenya’s Ismael Changawa Mzai and Shufaa Changawa dominated this year’s Rwanda Tennis Open, winning the Men and Women’s Singles titles on Saturday at Amahoro National Stadium courts.

The Mombasa natives defeated Ugandan Duncan Mugabe and Burundian Aisha Niyonkuru respectively in the final.

In the men’s title match, Changawa Nzai beat Mugabe in straight sets 6-2, 7-5 for a fourth consecutive victory against the 26-year-old Ugandan top seed. His elder sister Shufaa overcame Niyonkuru in three sets 2-6, 6-2, 7-5.

“It is an honour to be in Rwanda and compete with great players. I came here to win and I am thankful that I won the tournament and to make it even more satisfying is that my sister won the women’s title. Our parents are celebrating now,” Ismael Changawa said.

He noted that, “Our aim is to keep developing and become better players not only in our region but across Africa.”

In the women’s category, Shufaa lost the first set 6-2 before recovering to win the second 6-2 and then the third.

“Last year, I lost in the final but today I wanted to show that I am capable of beating a very good player like Aisha. To come from a set down and win the title and my brother winning the men’s tournament is just amazing. I am now seriously focusing on my dream,” Shufaa said.

Shufaa Changawa, 23, and Ismael Changawa, 20, walked away with US$1000 each in cash prizes.

In the the Women’s Wheelchair Singles’ final, Rehema Saidi Selememani of Tanzania beat Kenyan Jane Ndenga 7-6(4), 1-6, 7-6(1),while the Men’s title was claimed by Novatus Emmanuel Temba (Tanzania) after he defeated Collins Omondi (Kenya) 7-5, 4-6 and 10-4.

The U18 Boys Singles title was won by 17-year old Bertin Karenzi, who defated 13-years old Joseph Cyiza 6-3, 6-0.

The 2017 Rwanda Open attracted 143 players from Burundi, Kenya, Uganda, Belgium, Italy, Tanzania, Sweden, Nepal, DR Congo and the hosts Rwanda.

Sunday

Final

Rwanda                2-0          Nigeria

Semi-finals

Rwanda                2-0          Seychelles

Nigeria                  2-0          Mauritius

Rwanda women’s beach volleyball team are the champions of Africa after beating Nigeria in the gold medal match at the African Championships that concluded on Sunday in Free Town, Serra Leone to qualify for 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Charlotte Ndayisenga and Denyse Mutatsimpundu, who won gold at the U20 level in 2012, went a step further by claiming the senior continental title after beating the 2015 All African Games gold medalists in straight sets 2-0.

Rwanda will be Africa’s sole representative at next April’s Commonwealth Games in Australia.

In the round robin system matches played on Friday, Rwanda beat hosts Sierra Leone 2-0 in opening game and went on to defeat Seychelles 2-0, Mauritius 2-0 before overcoming Nigeria 2-0 on Saturday.

 In the semi-finals, Rwanda beat Seychelles 2-0 while Nigeria conquered Seychelles 2-0—the two teams advances to the title match, which Rwanda won 2-0.

Mutatsimpundu and Nzayisenga won gold medal at the 2017 CAVB Beach Volleyball Cup in Maputo, Mozambique in May, which qualified them to the World Championships that was staged in Vienna, Austria in August where they unfortunately lost all their games.

In 2012, the duo, playing at the junior level, won gold at the Africa Championships in Togo but failed to participate in the World Championships in Canada after the hosts denied the Rwandan team entry visas.

Source: The New Times.