NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 27 – First half goals from Patrick Otieno and Austin Odhiambo saw Kenya’s Under-23 team, the Emerging Stars, kick off their 2024 COSAFA Cup campaign with a well worked 2-0 win over Zambia at the Nelson Mandela Bay in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
Stars reaped benefits of a fast paced approach to the game, scoring twice in the opening 18 minutes of the game, a lead they held on to the end, despite a massive fightback from the Chipolopolo in the second half.
Zambia had to play the additional minutes a man down after skipper Kelvin Kapumbu was sent off for a second yellow card.
The victory takes Stars top of Group C after match day one, on goal difference, with Zimbabwe having earlier on beaten Comoros 1-0 in the other tie in the pool.
Stars showed intent from the start and got into the lead after eight minutes, Gor Mahia’s danger man Odhiambo scoring from the penalty spot.
Stars were awarded a spot kick after the speedy Patrick Otieno was hauled down inside the box by Chitoshi Chinga after beating him for pace, running through to a Benson Omalla flick on.
Omalla provides assist for number two
Stars kept their feet on the front foot and 10 minutes later, it was 2-0, this time Otieno turning up with the goal. Some good combination play between Austin and Omalla on the right saw the latter fly off to lay in a low cross.
Otieno picked out the ball running on the blind side of his marker to simply tap the ball home.
Zambia tried to fight back, but keeper Bryne Omondi was relatively unworked. The Chipolopolo resorted to using more of cross balls and setpieces, but the central defensive pairing of Amos Wanjala and Sylvester Owino did brilliantly to keep the danger at bay.
In the second half, Zambia pushed more, and Omondi had to make a decent save in the 67th minute when he dived well to his left to punch away a well curled shot from substitute Andrew Phiri.
The Zambians pushed more and more, but Kenya maintained their defensive discipline to ensure they saw off the win.
