NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 13 – Kenya’s Rising Stars have edged closer to the semi-finals of the CECAFA Under-20 Championships after thrashing Djibouti 4-0 at the KMC Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Sunday, and now just need a point in their last match against Sudan to make the last four.
Albania-based Kevin Wangaya scored a brace in between Hassan Beja and Lawrence Okoth’s goals, as Salim Babu’s men rose to second in the standings with seven points, off two wins and a draw.
Beja opened the scoring for Kenya in the sixth minute, slamming the ball home from close range after some poor control from one of the Djibouti defenders gifted him the ball inside the box.
Wangaya then made it 2-0 minutes later, when he slid in to shoot the ball home after another piece of poor defending from Djibouti, who failed to clear the ball in their box.
Wangaya completed his brace just before halftime from the penalty spot, sending the keeper the wrong way after Beja had been brought down inside the box.
In the second half, Stars finished the job early, Wangaya once again involved in the goal when he won the ball in transition, drove to the edge of the Djibouti box before feeding Okoth who struck the ball between the keeper’s legs.
A place in the semis means Kenya are now just one step away from qualifying for the Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations for the first time ever. The two finalists from the competition will qualify for next year’s U20 Cup of Nations.
