Cecafa U20: Why Rising Stars have AFCON U20 destiny in their hands

Kenya's Rising Stars squad line up before a past match. [Cecafa Online]

Kenya’s Rising Stars are facing an uphill battle in the Afcon U20 Cecafa qualifiers after a frustrating 0-0 draw against Rwanda on Thursday.

The stalemate left Kenya in third place in Group A with four points, following their earlier 2-1 victory over tournament hosts Tanzania last Sunday.

Despite starting the qualifiers with promise,  Rising Stars struggled to find their rhythm against a disciplined Rwandan side, failing to break down their defence in a match that saw limited clear-cut chances. Rwanda, meanwhile, secured their first point of the campaign.

Group A is now tightly contested, with Tanzania and Sudan leading the pack, both with six points from three games. Kenya, sitting two points behind, still has a chance to reach the semi-finals but will need to win their remaining matches to boost their qualification hopes.

With two matches left to play, including a crucial encounter against Djibouti tomorrow, Kenya head coach Salim Babu emphasised the importance of focusing on converting chances and maintaining solid defence.

"We need to be sharper in the final third and take our opportunities. Djibouti will not be an easy team, but we have to go out there with the mindset to win," said Babu.

Rising Stars' next game against Djibouti is pivotal. A victory would bring them back into the mix for a semi-final spot, but anything less could complicate their chances of advancing from the group stage.

Kenya’s fate may now also rely on results from the other matches in the group.

However, Babu remains optimistic that his side can bounce back and secure the needed victories to keep their tournament hopes alive.