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Hassan Beja provided the assist for the second goal to cap off a good afternoon for Salim Babu's Rising Stars, who overcame Tanzania 2-1 in the CECAFA AFCON U-20 qualifiers.
The Kenya National U-20 side Rising Stars managed to overcome hosts Tanzania 2-1 to get their CECAFA AFCON U-20 campaign off to a flier in a clash that took place at the KMC Stadium in Dar es Salam, Tanzania on Sunday afternoon.
Goals from Kevin Wangaya and Andreas Omondi were enough to give them all the three points, although Tanzania did reduce the arrears through a great freekick by Raheem Mkinyangi.
Tanzania had a good chance to go ahead in the seventh minute when Valentino Mashaka got on the end of a fantastic Ibrahim Hamis cross in the seventh minute, but his resultant header went just wide off target.
Moments later, Kenya would create their first chance of the game. AFC Leopards winger Hassan Beja and Nairobi City Stars’ Rodgers Obusu combined well down the flank, before the fullback set it up well for Louis Ingavi, but his shot went over the bar.
The Kenyans continued to threaten down the wings, and eventually, they would sail ahead in the 21st minute after Beja won a foul outside the box having done well to drive with the ball infield from the left.
From the resultant freekick, Kevin Wangaya would then time a perfectly executed ball into the back of the net to leave the Tanzanian outfit stunned, and Salim Babu’s boys were 1-0 to the good.
In the 37th minute, they had another good chance to double their advantage. Bandari’s William Gitama forced a turnover of possession before setting it up well for AFC Leopards midfielder Kelly Madada, but the former Shanderema Boys maestro hit the ball wide off target.
Complacency then appeared to start creeping in. Kenya keeper Ibrahim Wanzala made a horrible mistake that nearly cost his team. Aiming a pass at Andreas Odhiambo while the side was trying to play out from the back, Tanzania won the ball, but dallied on it too much, allowing the Kenyans to get back in shape.
Wanjala did make the save, before raising his hand as if to atone for his sin to his teammates.
Moments later, Gorogoro Stars had another good chance to level the tie when Ibrahim Hamis dribbled nonchalantly past Obusu, before attempting a low shot towards his back post, forcing the Kakamega Homeboyz custodian’s reflexes into action with a good save to put them into the lead heading into the break.
Kenya started brightly in the second half, controlling possession and rattling the opposition and nearly went ahead through Gitamu who attempted a left footed shot at goal after a low cross by Obusu from the left had caused confusion in the Tanzania penalty box.
Kenya nearly scored again when Gitamu ran with the ball down the right flank again before whipping in a low cross back across the box towards Beja on the other flank, but he hit it just wide.
They continued creating good chances, and soon, they would be 2-0 up through Andreas Odhiambo, who hit a delicious ball into the back of the net with his left foot after receiving a good pass from Hassan Beja to complete the move he started, having won possession in his own half moments earlier.
The Kenyans were away and cruising, but Tanzania would reduce the deficit in the 76th minute from a freekick of their own through Raheem Mkinyangi with a great left footed shot and Wanzala would have done little to prevent it from getting in.
Tanzania tried to get back into the game, and Mashaka should have leveled the tie when he headed the ball wide off target from another good cross in the 84th minute.
In the end, the Kenyans would hold on to their advantage to get all the three points in the end, and it now means their campaign has started off ideally.
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