Rwanda’s Under-17 team will face Somalia in the semi-finals of the CECAFA zonal qualifiers for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations after securing a 2-0 victory over Sudan in their final Group A match on Wednesday.
The Junior Wasps sealed their place in the last four with goals from Bahati Pacifique and substitute Tuyizere Valentin at Kigali Pelé Stadium, finishing the group stage with six points from two matches.
Rwanda went into the match needing at least a draw to guarantee qualification but pursued all three points from the opening minutes, putting Sudan under pressure and creating several scoring opportunities.
The breakthrough came in the 44th minute when Bahati converted a free kick from just outside the penalty area. His effort struck the crossbar before bouncing into the net, giving the hosts a 1-0 lead at half-time.
Rwanda continued to dominate possession after the break and created further chances but struggled to convert them into goals.
One promising opportunity came late in the match when Kelvin Munyembaraga delivered a cross into the penalty area, but Zaidi Niyonzima failed to turn it into a goal.
The hosts eventually secured the win in stoppage time when Tuyizere, introduced as a substitute, scored the second goal to put the result beyond doubt.
The victory confirmed Rwanda’s place at the top of Group A and set up a semi-final meeting with Somalia on Saturday, October 17, at Kigali Pelé Stadium.
Somalia advanced as Group C leaders after finishing level with Tanzania on points and goal difference. Uganda, who topped Group B, will face Ethiopia, who qualified as the best second-placed team.
The CECAFA tournament serves as a qualifying competition for the 2027 TotalEnergies CAF Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations. The two finalists and the winner of the third-place play-off will earn places at the continental tournament.
