NAIROBI, Kenya, December 1, 2025 – National under 17 football team coach William ‘Kanu’ Muluya has vowed they will stop at nothing to qualify for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon).
The Junior Stars lock horns with hosts Ethiopia in the third-place playoff of the Cecafa Regional qualifiers with the winner of that tie grabbing the remaining slot to the continental competition.
The importance of that match is not lost on Muluya who vows they will shed blood, sweat and tears in their quest for the ultimate prize.
“It’s the final chance and it’s a 90-minute thing that we have to try. Having lost the
direct chance, then we have to give everything in the third place. Its impact can only be seen in the next four years,” the Kariobangi Sharks head coach said.
For Muluya, qualifying for Afcon will be a huge boost to the careers of the youngsters, with multitudes of scouts in the stand watching out for the next big thing in African football.
“There’s a pool of talented players here and it’s one of the platforms that brings in
a good exposure for them. They’ll be playing in AFCON, where regionally everyone will be trying to look at them from the scouts and any other person interested in them. It’s another chance for these kids to try and make it to the World Cup, another big platform for them,” he said.
The Junior Stars’ hopes of a first ever Afcon appearance suffered a huge dent after a 3-1 loss to Tanzania in the semi-finals of the Cecafa Regional qualifiers in Addis Ababa on Sunday afternoon.
It was a torrid day in the office for Muluya’s charges who could have taken the lead in the 11th minute but Nicholas Ochola shot his penalty directly into the hands of Tanzania keeper Haji Abdallah.
Their East African rivals then drew first blood in the 19th minute via a free header from Nhingo Luzelenga before Luqman Mbalasalu twisted the dagger with a second at the half hour mark.
Michael Olunga Football Academy (MOFA) starlet Armstrong Omondi pulled one back with a scorcher in the 89th minute to set up a tantalizing finale to the fixture.
However, all hopes of a comeback were dead and buried as Soann Shabhani scored the third in the 93rd minute, latching on to a clearance from deep in Tanzania’s defence to slot past Junior Stars’ netminder Georgian Omondi.
Muluya conceded the loss was a bitter pill for him to swallow considering that they had the first big chance in the game.
“We had an opportunity to score first before they scored and we missed a penalty. And immediately it happened, we failed to defend our set-piece and Luzelenga
scored. So for me it’s a missed opportunity, then failing to defend well,” the gaffer bemoaned.
Muluya added: “We went to attack a corner that was resulting from a missed chance. Then again my defenders failed to clear the ball, we were caught. The second half was coming up a bit strong towards the end of the game.”
He also credited their opponents for their superiority in all sections of the game.
“I think we missed it first when we failed to go to the ball in the first quarter. And I mean impressive because truth be said Tanzania is a good side, very good side. I think they are players who seem to have played together for quite some time,” Muluya noted.
All that is water under the bridge for the Junior Stars who must now recollect themselves in time for the Ethiopians to who they lost by a solitary goal in the final game of Group A encounter on Wednesday evening.
