Junior stars edge Somalia 4-1 at fan packed Bukhungu

Kakamega, 

Friday, 1 December, 2023. 

McCreadie Andias 

Kenya Under18 Boys Football team, junior stars finished on top of Group A after sweeping past helpless Somalia 4-1 at a CECAFA U18 match played at Bukhungu stadium On Friday afternoon. 

Coach Salim Babu made several tactical changes with key players like Aldine Kibet and Tryon Kariuki starting from the bench in a match where stars had already qualified for the Semis and were only fighting for the top spot. 

It was the visitors who opened the score sheet in the 19th minute with Abdihadif Abdi sending the ball into the right flank as goalkeeper Ibrahim Wnzala watched helplessly. 

However, Somali's lead was cut short as Humphrey Aroko's superb strike earned junior stars and equalizer just five minutes down. 

Stanley Omondi lifted the fans to jubilation with the second for junior stars leaving the visitors submissive to pressure. 

Junior Stars pressed hard against the Somalia defense, and Aroko scored to complete a brace in the 66th minute, extending Kenya’s lead to 3-1.

Six minutes later, Kibet unleashed a powerful shot from outside the box, making it 4-1 in favor of Kenya after Somalia had failed to clear their lines.

The result means that the Junior Stars have claimed nine points with ten goals from the three matches and will now face the runners-up from Group B in the tournament's semifinals.

Somalia has been eliminated from the tournament after Rwanda beat Sudan 3-0 to advance to the last spot in the other match that was played at Jomo Kenyatta Stadium in Kisumu. 

Kenya and Rwanda will now wait for the losers and winners of Group B after the matches between Tanzania vs. Zanzibar and Uganda vs. South Sudan which will be played on Saturday.