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From: Biniam Tekle (biniamt@dehai.org)
Date: Fri Aug 13 2010 - 15:04:30 EDT
Nine nations chase Cecafa Under-20 honours in Asmara
Nine teams are on parade as the Cecafa (Council of East and Central Africa
Football Associations) Under-20 Challenge Cup takes place in Asmara,
Eritrea, from today.
The two-week tournament includes guests Yemen, last minute replacements for
Burundi, who pulled out due to other engagements at home.
Hosts, Eritrea face Tanzania in the opening match today after the opening
ceremony. This is the first time Eritrea is hosting a major regional
football tournament. The Eritrea Football Federation, under the chairmanship
of Tesfaye Gebreyesus, looks forward to a great tournament.
Teams taking part include Eritrea, Tanzania, Somalia, Sudan and Kenya, all
in Group A and defending champions Uganda, Rwanda, Yemen and Zanzibar who
play their preliminaries in Group B.
By yesterday, tickets for the opening match had been sold out with Eritreans
out to support their side. Eritrea have emerged as a force in the region
recently with their Under-17 side losing to Uganda in last year’s regional
final in Khartoum.
Sudan, Kenya, Zanzibar and Somalia arrived here Thursday followed yesterday
by Uganda, Yemen, Rwanda and Tanzania.
"Today is a big day as we present the nine teams to feature in this historic
tournament," Nicholas Musonye, the Kenyan General Secretary of Cecafa said
in Asmara Friday.
"It has taken a lot of effort to bring this event here and I can only look
forward to two great weeks," he told a meeting of the Organising Committee.
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