Kenya’s U17 national team, the Junior Stars, suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Tanzania in their opening match of the U17 Africa Cup of Nations CECAFA qualifiers yesterday in Uganda.
Placed in Group A alongside Uganda and Tanzania, Kenya now faces a crucial match against Uganda, with the outcome determining whether the team advances to the semifinals and remains in contention.
Junior Stars Assistant Coach, Anthony Akhulia, stressed the importance of Saturday’s upcoming match, calling it a must-win.
“The boys are capable. We gained momentum in the second half, and we aim to build on that as we prepare for the match against Uganda,” said Akhulia.
The tournament, running from December 15 to December 27, 2024, is divided into two groups. The semifinals will take place on December 24 at Nakivubo Stadium, with the following matchups:
Semifinal 1: Group B winner vs Group A runner-up
Semifinal 2: Group A winner vs Group B runner-up
The third-place match is scheduled for December 27, where the semifinal losers will compete. The final will be held later the same day, featuring the winners of each semifinals.
