Portland Timbers Academy midfielder Yves Rubasha named to Rwanda U-23 National Team roster

PORTLAND, Ore. – Portland Timbers U-18 Academy midfielder Yves Rubasha has been named to the Rwanda U-23 National Team roster ahead of a two-leg, second-round series against Uganda in the Confederation of African Football (CAF) U-23 Championship qualifiers, it was announced today.

The Rwanda U-23 National Team will square off against Uganda in a pair of 2015 CAF U-23 Championship qualifying matches. The first match will take place at Amahoro Stadium in Kigali, Rwanda, on Saturday, May 23; kickoff is set for 6:30 a.m. (Pacific). The second leg will take place at Nakivubo War Memorial Stadium in Kampala, Uganda on Sunday, May 31. The winner of the home-and-away series will move on to face Egypt in the third round of CAF U-23 Championship qualifying.

A total of eight teams will qualify to play in the final CAF U-23 Championship tournament, including host-nation Senegal. The 2015 CAF U-23 Championship tournament acts as a qualifier for the 2016 Summer Olympics, with the top three teams from the tournament qualifying for the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Rubasha made his debut for the Rwanda U-23 National Team in a 2-0 victory over Somalia on April 25 in a CAF U-23 Championship qualifying first-round match. The midfielder has made nine appearances (5 starts) for the Timbers U-18s during the 2014-15 U.S. Soccer Development Academy season.