U-20 Afcon qualifiers: Kenya, Rwanda share spoils
Kenya’s Beja Hassan (right) tussles for the ball with Tanzania’s Nickson Mosha during their Group “A” opening match of the Cecafa Under-20 Afcon qualifiers at the Kinondoni Municipal Council in Dar es Salaam on October 6, 2024.
What you need to know:
- Kenya’s goalkeeper Ibrahim Wanzala, who had a field day in the match, parried Rwanda's effort on 63 minutes.
- Four minutes later, Didie Ndayishimiye wasted a glorious chance to give Rwanda an undeserved lead when he fired his effort over the crossbar.
Kenya dropped two crucial points on Thursday after they failed to translate their dominance over Rwanda to victory in the ongoing Cecafa Under-20 Afcon regional qualifiers in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Heroic saves by goalkeeper Habineza Fils helped Rwanda hold Kenya to a barren draw in the Group “A” match at Kinondoni Municipal Council (KMC).
It was the first point Rwanda garnered in the tournament after they lost by a solitary goal to Sudan on Tuesday. Kenya defeated hosts Tanzania 2-1 in their opening match of the campaign on Sunday.
Djibouti and Sudan are the other teams in Group “A”, while Group “B” features defending champions Uganda, South Sudan, Burundi, and Ethiopia. The two finalists will qualify for the 2025 Afcon U-20.
Other participating nations will come from Caf’s Central Zone, South Zone, West “A” Zone, West “B” Zone, and North Zone.
The host country for the continental showpiece will be decided on October 22 during a Caf General Assembly in Addis Ababa.
On Thursday, Kenya dominated the exchange from the first to the last whistle but failed to convert their numerous scoring chances into goals.
Striker Louise Ingavi and midfielders Kelvin Wangaya and Kelly Madada all came close to scoring. Wangaya was unlucky in the 14th minute after his close-range shot from Ingavi’s cross was saved by Fils.
One minute later, Madada tasted the goalkeeper with an ambitious shot, before Rwanda wasted a counter-attack at the other end in the 31st minute when Pascal Iradukunda's cross was timely dealt with by Kenya’s defenders.
Just moments later, Rwanda defenders scrambled to clear Ingavi’s shot just inches away from the line, before Fils made a brilliant save to stop Madada’s header from Rogers Obusu’s brilliant cross.
Two minutes to the break, Wangaya squandered a glorious opportunity to put Kenya ahead when he directed his free-kick wide from the edge of the box. In Kenya’s win over Tanzania on Sunday, the midfielder broke the deadlock with a spectacular free-kick in the first half.
Fils made another brilliant save to deny Ingavi in the first-half stoppage time.
Upon the restart, Kenya came out guns blazing, but their efforts were unsuccessful. Ingavi headed wide William Mwangi’s cross before the latter side netted just moments later. Ingavi was on the hunt again on 56 minutes, with Fils blocking his header.
Kenya’s goalkeeper Ibrahim Wanzala, who had a field day in the match, parried Rwanda's effort on 63 minutes.
Four minutes later, Didie Ndayishimiye wasted a glorious chance to give Rwanda an undeserved lead when he fired his effort over the crossbar.
In their next match on Sunday, Kenya, which is coached by Salm Babu, will face Djibouti.
