Battling Kenya drown in the floods

• Heavy rains at the start of second half turn competitive match into a lottery farce as focus shifts to Uganda clash

Kenya went down 0-1 to Eritrea under extreme flooding conditions in their last Group “A” match on Monday in the Cecafa Under-20 Championship in Asmara.

On the artificial turf pitch, heavy rains at the start of the second half turned a competitive match into a lottery farce.

Eritrea scored in the 58th minute when Meron Hebteslus converted a cross into the Kenyan box from the left flank.

Heavy rains had been hitting the pitch by then for over quarter of an hour and conditions got worse. It was then a time for the heavy boot; to send the ball up front and the home team acquitted themselves better.

Kenya did not respond in the same way. They tried to pass the ball around as usual with astonishingly comical results. East pass rested on the floods, a full 15 metres short of the distance intended.

Said Kenya coach Vince Ombiji: “There was nothing I could do after yelling myself hoarse; telling them that they needed to boot the ball and lift it into the opponents’ area.

“They did not do that. For instance, captain Innocent Mutiso, out on the left flank was one of the worst culprits. He still thought he could carry the ball and it just could not work”.

No advantage

It is the rainy season in Asmara and not even the local players are used to playing under such conditions, said coach Negash Teklit.

“We had to adjust and I am glad we scored this morale-boosting win before we face Rwanda in the semi-finals on Wednesday,” he said.

Ombiji’s team will play defending champions on Thursday. Kenya team, however, will have absolutely no advantage if the conditions at the semi-finals will be like last evening’s.

But Ombiji said: “We shall meet and beat Eritrea in the final,” suggesting he was absolutely sure that Kenya will eliminate Uganda on Thursday.