Following a meeting held earlier this week, top continent’s soccer body Confederation of African Football (CAF) agreed to push the 2014 African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifiers for the Central-East zone to further dates.
The move was to allow this year’s Cecafa Tusker Challenge Cup go on uninterferred with the tournament’s first leg ties. It was concluded that Cecafa members were free to postpone their first leg ties November 30 – December 2 to January 2-4 next year.
“CAF secretary general Hicham El Amrani responded positively
to our request made two weeks ago for the postponement of the first leg dates of the CHAN qualifiers,” Cecafa general secretary Nicholas Musonye told the local press in Nairobi.
“He has advised us to ask the member associations involved to agree to the changes.” Musonye added. Burundi has instantly agreed to the new dates. The second leg ties of December 14-16 remain the same as the annual regional soccer showpiece will have ended.
Meanwhile the deadline for entering teams for the Tusker Challenge Cup remains October 8 (tomorrow). Already eight countries have confirmed participation Djibouti, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zanzibar.
2014 CHAN (African Nations Championship) fixtures
CENTRAL – EAST ZONE:
(Three teams to go through from this zone)
PRELIMINARY ROUND
First leg: Nov 30 – Dec 2, 2012 (suggested changed dates, Jan 2-4, 2013): Burundi vs. Kenya; Eritrea v Ethiopia
Second leg: Dec 14-16, 2012: Kenya vs. Burundi; Ethiopia vs. Eritrea
FIRST ROUND
First leg: June 21-23, 2013: Burundi or Kenya vs. Sudan; Eritrea or Ethiopia v Rwanda; Tanzania vs. Uganda
Second leg: July 5-7, 2013: Sudan vs. Burundi/ Kenya; Rwanda vs. Eritrea/ Ethiopia; Uganda vs. Tanzania
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