Emerging Stars return, vow to shoot down Sudan in Nairobi

The Kenya national Under-23 team jetted back Friday morning from Khartoum, Sudan where they lost 2-0 to the hosts in the 2019 Africa Under-23 Cup of Nations second round first leg qualifier at Al Merreikh Stadium on Wednesday.

After an hour delay, the team left the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Terminal 1 at 7am.

“The game was good although we felt we were a little bit unlucky but that’s behind us now we shift focus to the second leg,” coach Francis Kimanzi said.

“We believe with the quality we have, we can get a positive result because the boys are motivated,” he added.

The Emerging Stars will need three clear goals to eliminate the Zdravko Logarusic-led Sudan side.

The return leg will be played at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani on Tuesday.

The aggregate winner will face the winner of the tie between Libya and Nigeria. Libya registered a 2-0 win in the first leg staged in Tunisia with the reverse fixture scheduled for next Tuesday in Abuja.

A total of seven teams will join hosts Egypt in the final tournament of this continental junior showpiece in November.