Junior Stars head coach Salim Babu has tipped his charges to romp into the final of the Cecafa Under-18 football tournament following a flying start on Saturday.
The red-hot Kenyan lads kept their title hopes alive with a scintillating display of football finesse to thrash Sudan 5-0 in their opening Group ‘A’ encounter.
Speaking in an exclusive interview on Sunday, coach Babu said Kenya boasts sufficient depth to get the Cecafa job done and dusted. He reckons Saturday’s performance reflected the team’s real aptitude, adding that the huge victory emboldened their resolve to fight tooth and nail for a historic title.
“We are all happy with the results and the team is in good shape considering our performance against Sudan on Saturday. Our thorough training regimen made the players more agile to handle the game with ease,” Babu said.
“The win has made us believe in ourselves even more. It’s amazing the kind of performance the boys displayed despite having been in camp together for only five days.”
The veteran gaffer, who also serves as the assistant coach of Kenyan Premier League club Police FC, credited his team’s success to his sturdy midfield.
Kenyan players had the onlookers on the edge of their seats with a mesmerising display of precise, well-knit passes that effortlessly broke through the opposition’s defence.
“The whole squad was amazing but I must single out the midfielders, who kept the ball flowing with well-knitted passes that opened up endless opportunities,” Babu remarked.
He has urged his players to replicate their masterclass act in their next game, against Rwanda on Tuesday.
“Consistency will be key to our success and I believe our players have what it takes to post consistent results. We need to keep the fire burning in all our matches,” Babu said.
The clash is expected to produce a lot of fireworks with Rwanda heading to the encounter buoyed by a 1-0 win over Somalia in the tournament’s opening match.
Meanwhile, Babu has acknowledged his selection headache owing to the formidable lineup on his substitutes’ bench.
Among those who started from the bench were former St. Anthony’s Kitale midfield dynamite Alvin Kasavuli, who has since joined Barcelona-based Nastic Sports Academy in Spain, as well as enterprising Ulinzi Stars teen sensation Lucas Maina.
“Keeping Kasavuli on the bench was a tactical move. I believe every player will have an opportunity to showcase their talent at some point in the tournament,” Babu concluded.
