Kenya Fail To Qualify For U17 AFCON Tournament

Kenya will not be represented at the U17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals which will be played between March and April 2026 in Morocco. 

The Junior Stars' dreams of continental football were dashed on Tuesday afternoon in Addis Ababa as they fell to a heartbreaking 3-0 defeat against hosts Ethiopia in the decisive CECAFA Zonal qualification playoff.

The match, played at the Abebe Bikila Stadium, was a winner-takes-all encounter to determine the recipient of the third and final slot allocated to the CECAFA region. 

Tanzania and Uganda having already booked their tickets by reaching the final, the pressure was immense on both William Muluya’s charges and the home side. 

Ultimately, a second-half collapse saw the Kenyan youngsters miss out on the prestigious tournament, leaving a bitter taste after a campaign that had shown much promise.

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The encounter began with palpable tension as both sides prioritized defensive solidity over attacking flair. William Muluya fielded a strong lineup, with Georgian Omondi starting in goal, shielded by a backline featuring Raphael Omondi and the industrious Julius Buong. 

In midfield, Nicholas Ochola and Derrick Obote were tasked with controlling the tempo while Yusuf Mohamed and Trevor Nasasiro led the search for goals upfront.

The Junior Stars showed flashes of brilliance particularly through Nevil Wafula on the flank but the final ball often lacked the necessary precision to trouble the Ethiopian defense. 

Ethiopia, buoyed by a partisan home crowd, threatened sporadically through Amir Misbah Muzemil and Cherinet Ufaysa Galda but the Kenyan defense, marshaled by Cosmas Masitsa, stood firm to ensure the sides went into the break deadlocked at 0-0.

The complexion of the game changed drastically in the second half as Ethiopia returned with renewed vigor. 

The hosts began to dominate possession, forcing Kenya to retreat into their own half. The resistance finally crumbled in the 66th minute through a moment of individual brilliance that left the Kenyan backline stunned.

Ethiopian forward Dawit Kasaw Yirdaw produced the game’s defining moment. Receiving the ball in space, Kasaw spotted Georgian Omondi slightly off his line and executed a beautiful finish sending a perfect loop over the goalkeeper that dipped viciously into the net. 

Stunned and chasing the game, Kenya pushed numbers forward in a desperate bid to find an equalizer. 

However, this attacking adventurousness left them exposed at the back. The final nail in the coffin arrived in the 78th minute.

A defensive error deep in Kenya's territory gifted possession to the alert Binyam Abrha Teare. The Ethiopia captain wasted no time capitalizing on the blunder, coolly slotting the ball home to double the lead and effectively end the contest.

Junior Stars threw everything forward in a desperate, chaotic attempt to salvage pride. However, this only invited further punishment as in the 92nd minute, with the Kenyan defense completely absent, Ethiopia launched a blistering counter-attack. The ball fell to Biruk Eyilachew just inside the box after a goalkeeper error  and he sent a thunderous header into the bottom corner to make it 3-0.

The third goal was the final nail in the coffin sparking wild celebrations in the stands and leaving the Kenyan players visibly distraught on the pitch.

Kenya: Georgian Omondi, Raphael Omondi, Julius Buong, Nevil Wafula, Nicholas Ochola, Derrick Obote, Armstrong Omondi, Trevor Nasasiro, Yusuf Mohamed, Eugine Ochieng, Cosmas Masitsa.

Ethiopia: Temesgen Kebede Tadesse, Zelalem Mengistu Duko, Efison Kidane Kindo, Eniyew Silesh Badege, Dawit Kasaw Yirdaw, Binyam Abrha Teare, Kalid Akmel Reshad, Amir Misbah Muzemil, Cherinet Ufaysa Galda, Tinsae Mengistu Asefa, Dinkneh Woldeyohannes Lunchoro.