Kenya national U-23 football team, Emerging Stars, romped into the semi finals of the 2020 Cecafa Championship with a resounding 2-0 win over hard-fighting South Sudan at Bahir Dar Stadium in Ethiopia on Wednesday.
KCB speedy winger Reagan Otieno fired Kenya ahead in the 51st minute after coming on the end of an enticing pass in the area. Benson Omala then settled matters with a brilliant effort in the 79th minute to guarantee Kenya maximum points and a subsequent semifinals slot.
It was the second time Otieno got his name on the score sheet, having also celebrated a goal in their opening encounter against Djibouti on Monday.
That was after Ulinzi Stars’ marksman Joseph Njuguna had opened Kenya's account eleven minutes into action with a left-footed screamer 20 yards out, after being neatly set up by KCB speedy winger Reagan Otieno.
The Emerging Stars made a promising start to their Cecafa U-23 campaign with a 3-0 thumping of Djibouti in their opening Group C encounter at Bahir Dar Stadium in Ethiopia on Monday.
The win fired coach Stanley Okumbi’s charges to the summit of Group C, and they only required to squeeze out a solitary point from South Sudan for a place in the semifinals of the regional showpiece.
Following the outcome of Wednesday's match, Kenya have set a semifinals date with the winner of Group B. Burundi currently lead the group with three points after seeing off Eritrea 3-0 in a rescheduled fixture after heavy rains washed away the first encounter.
According to the draw released by the organisers prior to the tournament, top teams in each of the three groups will proceed to the semi-finals, alongside the best-placed runners-up.
In the semis, Group 'A' winners will flex muscles with the best runners-up as Group 'B' winners lock horns with Group 'C' winners. Third place playoff and the final will be held on July 30.
