Murkomen tips Rising Stars to book AFCON U20 slot after winning start

Murkomen tips Rising Stars to book AFCON U20 slot after winning start

Evans Ousuru 11:23 - 07.10.2024

Sports Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen expressed confidence in the Rising Stars' ability to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations U20 tournament.

Sports Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has tipped the Rising Stars to bag the Africa Cup of Nations U20 CECAFA regional title.

The former Transport CS said the Salim Babu-coached side have enough quality to prevail in the qualifiers and book one of the two slots reserved for the region.

"To the Rising Stars, the whole country is behind you to bag the AFCON U20 regional title. The depth of the squad and the training you have had prior to this tournament give me a lot of confidence that you have what it takes. Go ahead and do it, lads," he posted on X.

The Rising Stars began their campaign with a deserved 2-1 win against hosts Tanzania. Kevin Wanganya and Andres Odhiambo found the back of the net for Kenya, rendering Rahim Mkinyange's 76th minute goal a consolation.

Rising Stars will square it out against Rwanda in their next match on October 10. This encounter marks a crucial point in the team's quest to qualify for the U-20 World Cup, with the ongoing CECAFA qualifiers serving as the battleground for teams vying for spots in the U20 AFCON. 

Kenya will enter this match with confidence, knowing that victory will enhance the team's chances of topping the group. 

In order to qualify for the AFCON, Kenya only needs to reach the finals in the regional qualifiers to guarantee a slot. The Rising Stars are favourites to win the title only if complacency doesn't creep in. 

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