MACHAKOS, Kenya, Dec 11- Kenya needs just a draw of any kind in their late kick off against Tanzania to book a slot in the semi-finals of the CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup after Libya beat Zanzibar 1-0 in the early kick off at the Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos.
Libya’s win takes them to six points and should Kenya draw with Tanzania, they will also be on six points, but will have an edge by virtue of having scored two goals against Libya’s one.
However, Kenya will need to get maximum points to finish with eight and top the group to meet the second placed team from Group B in the semis.
Alharaish Zachariah’s 24th minute thunderbolt handed Libya their only win of the tournament having drawn 0-0 in all their previous three matches.
Zachariah planted a thunderbolt into the top left corner of the Zanzibari goal after winning back possession at the edge of the box.
Before the goal, the North Africans had two chances Almaryami Khalid’s diving header inside the box being saved by the keeper while Aleyat Mohammed’s shot from distance went wide.
Zanzibar’s closest chance was in the 12th minute when Adeyum Ahmed’s curling left footed freekick deflected against the wall and was pushed to the crossbar by the Libyan keeper.
Immediately on the turn Libya launched an assault upfront and they were almost two up when Shafshuf Suhib headed just over at the back post after the Zanzibar keeper tipped a cross from Aleyat into his path.
In the second half, Libya continued to press to get a healthy winner.
Zanzibar were almost punished for sloppiness at the back when Abdul Aziz Makame, unlike of him, lost the ball cheaply in a dangerous area. Almaryami picked the gift and launched a one-time shot which unfortunately came off the crossbar.
In the 70th minute, Zanzibar were also denied by the bar, a hard working Mudathir Yahya winning the ball off the Libyan backline before launching a ferocious shot that came off the woodwork.
Libya keeper Azzaqah Ahmed was forced to work overtime in the final 15 minutes saving shot after shot. In the 74th minute he stretched out well to palm away a curling effort from Ibrahim Hamad who had found space on the right.
Five minutes later, he was at hand to deny Zanzibar again, this time tipping over a shot from Yahya swung in at the edge of the box.