by EMMANUEL WANJALA
Wednesday December 6, 2023
Kenya players take on their Tanzania opponents during the semi final match played on Tuesday at Jomo Kenyatta stadium in Kisumu, December 5, 2023.
Image: SCREENGRAB
Kenya has qualified for the CECAFA U18 final on Friday after seeing off Tanzania 4-3 on post-match penalties.
The two sides had played to a barren draw after extra time during the entertaining semi final played at the Jomo Kenyatta International stadium in Kisumu.
Kenya will now take on neighbours Uganda during the final to be played at the same venue on Friday after Young Uganda Cranes beat Rwanda 1-0 in the first semi final played Tuesday morning.
Sports CS Ababu Namwamba who was watching the match from Nairobi congratulated the Junior Stars for a job well done.
"Congratulations Junior Stars, you have made the country so proud. You have flown the flag in the toughest game we have played in this tournament," he said.
"The Tanzanian boys are good, they have played absolutely amazing football but you are better Junior Stars, now unto the final," he said as he extended gratitude to Kenyan fans who showed up in numbers to cheer the home boys.
"You were the 12th player," he said.
Kenyan custodian Ibrahim Wanzala was the hero of the game after he stopped two spot kicks to earn the Junior Stars the ticket to the much-awaited final against Uganda.
The Young Uganda Cranes booked their ticket to the final via a 56th minute goal courtesy of Abubaker Mayanja.
Kenya finished top of Group ‘A’ with a maximum of nine points and 10 goals from wins over Sudan (5-0), Rwanda (1-0) and Somalia (4-1).