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Kenya’s Rising Stars will kick off their CAF Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) U20 Cecafa Qualifiers campaign against hosts Tanzania on Sunday (4pm) at KMC Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
This opening match in Group A will be followed by another encounter between Sudan and Djibouti from the same group at Azam Complex at 6pm.
The tournament, running from October 6 to 20, features nine teams battling for a coveted spot in the continental tournament.
Apart from Kenya and Tanzania, other participating teams are Rwanda, South Sudan, Sudan, Burundi, Djibouti, and Ethiopia. Group B has South Sudan, Burundi, Uganda, and Ethiopia.
As the tournament gets underway, Rising Stars captain Amos Wanjala expressed confidence in his side’s preparations and readiness.
“We have had very good training, and I believe we are ready for the competition,” said Wanjala.
“We know the competition will be tough because we’ve faced some of these teams before. But we are confident we will compete and bring positive results.”
Wanjala, who has prior experience in regional tournaments, participated in last year’s Cecafa U18 championship held in Kisumu and Kakamega, where Kenya lost 2-1 in the final to Uganda.
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His familiarity with the opposition adds an edge to Kenya’s approach this time around.
“In our group, I believe everyone is coming to compete. Nothing will be easy, but we have prepared well, and we’ll do our best to win,” said Wanjala.
Rising Stars head coach, Salim Babu echoed his captain’s sentiments, citing a week of intense preparation that has boosted the morale within the camp.
“The boys are in high spirits, and our preparations have been solid. The focus has been on maintaining fitness levels and tactical sharpness, and I believe we are ready to compete at the highest level,” Babu remarked.
He further acknowledged the challenge of facing the hosts in their backyard but remained optimistic about Kenya’s chances.
Tanzania, on the other hand, will be looking to make a strong statement in front of their home fans.
The hosts are determined to capitalise on home advantage, and the KMC Stadium is expected to be buzzing as the two East African rivals lock horns.
With their previous encounters fresh in their minds, both sides know the importance of starting the tournament on a high note.
Defending champions Uganda will open their title defence against their Group rivals Ethiopia on Monday at KMC Stadium, while the 2022 runners-up South Sudan will face Burundi in another encounter on the same day.
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