Kigali — YUSSUF Ndayishimiye and Amin Mwizerwa scored first half goals as Amavubi beat Eritrea 2-1 at Nyayo Stadium to advance to the quarterfinals of the Orange Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup.

Amavubi, who last won the competition in 1999 are now favourites to top Group B.

The wasps are also the third team to storm the last eight after guest side Zambia and defending champions Uganda Cranes.

After a rather fortunate 1-0 victory over Somalia on Sunday, Eric Nshimiyimana's wasps upped their game yesterday to grind out a more justified win against the hard-tackling Red Sea Boys of Eritrea.

Amavubi midfielder Ndayishimiye put the wasps ahead after a close range tap in from Haruna Niyonzima's free-kick.

Moments later, Mwizerwa doubled the lead after looping the Eritrean goal-keeper at the stroke of half-time.

Despite dominating play in the first half and for most parts of the second half, Amavubi had a nervous end after Eritrea pulled one back through Yosief Tzerezghi in the last ten minutes of normal time.

Eritrea upped their tempo and could have equalised or even won the game had it not been for a top notch performance from Amavubi's goalkeeper Jean Luc Ndayishimiye alias Bakame who made four spectacular saves to keep the Red Sea Boys at bay.

In the other group B match, Zimbabwe, who play Amavubi in two days' time, beat Somalia 2-0 to move closer to the knock-out stage.

Mangezi Tapiwa and Zhokinyi Guthrie scored the goals for the Cosafa champions who now have four points from two games.

In their opening tie, they were held to a goalless draw by Eritrea.

Today, two games are on cards; Djibouti play Zambia at Nyayo stadium while Tanzania entertain Burundi in a Group B clash at Mumias complex.

Orange Cecafa

Challenge Cup

Yesterday

Rwanda 2-1 Eritrea

Zimbabwe 2-0 Somalia

Today

Djibouti v Zambia-Nyayo

Tanzania v Burundi-Mumias