Kenya skin Somalia in CECAFA U18 thriller to maintain unbeaten start
1st December 2023
The Junior Stars recorded 3/3 wins in Group A.
- Kenya had to come from a goal down in the 4-1 victory.
- Humprey Aroko scored two goals with Stanley Wilson and Aldrine Kibet bagging one each.
- Kenya advanced to the semis with a perfect record of three wins from three matches.
The Kenya junior national team overcame a spirited Somalia
side 4-1 on Friday at Bukhungu Stadium to maintain their unbeaten record in the
2023 CECAFA under 18 Championships currently ongoing in Kisumu and Kakamega.
The match started on a high pace with the two teams
displaying some brilliant football skills.
Although Kenya had several goal scoring opportunities, it
was Somalia who struck first blood. Fast-rising winger Abdihafid Abdi unleashed
a powerful shot in the 19th minute which gave Kenya’s goalkeeper Ibrahim
Wanzala no chance.
The picture-perfect goal left the Somalian fans on their
feet as their Kenyan counterparts held their mouths in disbelief.
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However, as the minutes went by, Junior Stars started taking
control of the proceedings, launching attack after attack on the visitors’
defense.
The pressure paid off a few minutes later when the
Kariobangi Sharks duo of Humphrey Aroko and Wilson Stanley Omondi scored two
quick fire goals.
Aroko put Kenya level in the 27th minute before Omondi
scored the second goal in the 32nd minute with a breath-taking free kick.
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Kenya could have gotten the third goal in the 40th minute,
but Migori Youth ace Elly Owande’s strike was dealt with by the Somalian shot
stopper, resulting in a corner kick.
Kenya’s tactician Salim Babu introduced Adrine Kibet, Luis
Ingavi and Tyrone Kariuki at the start of the second half.
The genius substitution put the hosts on the driving seat,
with Kibet and Ingavi giving Somalian defenders no breathing space.
Kibet dribbled past several Somalian players in the 66th
minute before setting up Aroko who fired a powerful shot into the top corner of
the net to make it 3-1 for Junior Stars.
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Six minutes later, Kibet put Kenya 4 -1 ahead to extend his
tally to three goals and in the process put himself in a better position of
bagging the coveted golden boot award as Kenya finished their group with three
out of three wins.
In the other Group A match, Rwanda beat Sudan 3-0 in a match
staged at the Jomo Kenyatta Stadium, Mamboleo in Kisumu County.
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winner
Kenya, who topped the difficult group with nine points
advanced to the semifinals alongside runners up Rwanda (6 points).
Somalia registered a third-place finish in the tough group while their neighbors Sudan returned to Khartoum without a point.