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

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.

.

Keep Reading

•  Africa's opportunity in taming a warming world
•  World falls short of drought deal at Saudi-hosted talks
•  Reverent politics key to climate action
•  There is need to raise visibility of climate impact on health
•  There is need to rethink Kenya's climate financing framework