Harambee Stars suffered a 2-0 defeat to South Sudan in Juba during the first leg of the 2025 Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifiers today afternoon.
The Bright Stars secured a crucial win with two second-half goals from Ezibon Malish in the 50th minute and Yohanna Paulino, who sealed the victory in the 68th minute.
Engin Firat’s side struggled to cope with the pressure from their opponents, ultimately falling short.
Although Kenya is guaranteed qualification as one of the three host nations, the team is using these qualifiers to build a stronger squad for the tournament.
Harambee Stars squad in Juba.
The return leg is set for next Sunday in Kampala, where South Sudan only needs a draw to advance to the second round against either Djibouti or Rwanda. Djibouti caused an upset by defeating Rwanda 1-0 in their first leg match, also played on Sunday.
