Kenya's Emerging Stars ended their 2021 Cecafa U-23 campaign on a sad note after a 1-0 loss to South Sudan in the third-place playoff match at Bahir Dar Stadium in Ethiopia on Thursday.
Dani Lual's 9th-minute effort was all it took to separate the two teams at full-time. The victory accorded South Sudan the sweet retaliation they had yearned for heading into the encounter, having fallen to Kenya in the group stages.
Emerging Stars came close to ending Kenya's silverware drought on the regional stage but, unfortunately, fell short of securing a slot in the finals of the competition after crushing out 4-2 to tournament minnows Burundi, on post-match penalties.
The coach Stanley Okumbi-led charges had a promising start to their daunting campaign, emerging top of Group 'C' after making light work of Djibouti in 3-0 demolition in their opening encounter.
The win fired them to the apex of the log and left them requiring only a solitary point to progress through to the semis. They, however, went a step further and secured maximum points after cruising past South Sudan with a comfortable 2-1 win.
On the other hand, South Sudan were bundled out in the semis by Tanzania.
Thursday's loss means coach Okumbi's charges will be returning home empty-handed, as such, stretching the country's trophy-less run into the fifth year.
Burundi will flex muscles with Tanzania in the final on Friday afternoon, a couple of days before focus shifts to the Cecafa Kagame Cup set for Tanzania between August 1 and 15.
Football Kenya have already forwarded Tusker FC as Kenya's representatives although the brewers are yet to confirm participation.
