Kenya’s Rising Stars will face South Sudan in their final Group C match of the CECAFA U-20 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The match will be played at the Uhuru Stadium at 2 pm EAT, with Kenya seeking a win after losing 2-0 to Burundi in their opening fixture to determine Kenya’s position in Group C.
The Football Kenya Federation confirmed the fixture as part of the Rising Stars’ schedule for the regional qualifiers.
Kenya vs South Sudan Match Details
Kenya will face South Sudan in the CECAFA U-20 AFCON qualifiers after losing to Burundi.
Burundi beat the Rising Stars, with Amini Nshimirimana scoring both goals.
South Sudan, meanwhile, suffered a 4-0 defeat to Burundi on September 15, in their opening Group C match at Uhuru Stadium.
Currently, Kenya U20 has no points from their opening Group C match, while Burundi has already completed their group fixtures with six points.
Kenya U20 are seeking another appearance at the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations after reaching the continental tournament in the previous cycle, where they reached the final of the 2024 CECAFA U-20 qualifiers, losing 2-1 to Tanzania.
Their run nevertheless secured qualification for the 2025 U-20 AFCON in Egypt.
Selebwa Addresses Burundi Defeat
After the 2-0 loss to Burundi, Selebwa acknowledged his team had been outplayed and said they needed to improve before facing South Sudan.
“I think Burundi were on top of the game. If you look at most of the players, they have already gotten into the groove. This was my first competitive match after assembling this team,” Selebwa explained after the game.
He added that the Kenya Vs South Sudan encounter would present a different challenge, with Kenya needing to respond to the opening defeat.
South Sudan will also be looking for its first points after conceding four goals against Burundi.
Selebwa’s Squad for the Qualifiers for the Kenya VS South Sudan Match
Rising Stars head coach Gilbert Selebwa named a 25-player squad for the tournament, combining players from Kenyan clubs and schools with footballers based abroad.
The squad includes Kariobangi Sharks goalkeeper Wayne Orata, Nairobi United’s Benard Jairo and Ongata Academy’s Theodore Mwangi.
In defense, Selebwa selected Raphael Omondi, Eugine Belety, Telena Ochieng, Charles Auma, Edwin Jumba, Rodgers Wasega and Stephen Ouma.
The midfield department includes Sweden-based Yusuf Ahmed and Germany-based Quincy Waithanji, alongside Trevor Nasasiro, Hamvin Okoth, Armstrong Omondi, Churchil Ombuor, Brighton Nacheri, Allan Otieno and Abdirizak Nurie.
Kenya’s forwards include Bravin Omondi, Julius Ochieng, Keylah Mauko, Austine Odongo, Seedoph Zgoll and Brighton Omondi.
Seven players were promoted from the previous U17 setup, including Raphael Omondi, Eugine Belety, Trevor Nasasiro, Yusuf Ahmed, Armstrong Omondi, Brighton Nacheri and Julius Ochieng.
Other Group Matches
The CECAFA U-20 qualifying tournament features nine teams divided into three groups of three.
In Group A, hosts Tanzania will take on Ethiopia after both teams collected points in their opening fixtures.
Tanzania began the tournament with a 3-0 victory over Rwanda, while Ethiopia drew 0-0 with Rwanda.
In Group B, Sudan will face Uganda after Uganda opened its campaign with a 4-1 victory over Djibouti on September 15.
Sudan claimed victory with a 3-0 win over Djibouti on September 17.
Burundi has already secured the top spot in Group C after beating South Sudan and Kenya.
The team defeated South Sudan 4-0 before beating Kenya 2-0, giving Burundi six points from two matches.
The semi-finals are scheduled for September 22, while the finalists will secure the CECAFA zone’s two qualification places for the 2027 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana.
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