Resilient Junior Stars Come From Behind to Beat Rwanda and Keep U17 AFCON Hopes Alive

Kenya come from behind to beat Rwanda 2-1 at the ongoing CECAFA U17 AFCON qualifiers.

Nicholas Ochola came off the bench to inspire William Muluya’s charges to bounce from an early setback to beat Rwanda 2-1 at the ongoing CECAFA AFCON U17 qualifiers in Ethiopia on Friday afternoon.

The result now means Kenya have gained four points from their opening two games, which puts them second behind hosts Ethiopia before they take on South Sudan in their third game of the campaign next Monday.

First Half

For the opening 20 minutes both sides struggled to create inroads in the others’ halves, with the game being marked by a series of fouls that prevented the game from getting into any sort of rhythm.

It was from these situations that Kenya goalkeeper found himself requiring treatment in the 27th minute after contesting for a 50/50 duel with a Rwandan opponent.

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However, it was Rwanda that would finally break the deadlock in the 35th minute from a counter attack when Daniel Mugunga received the ball in the left half space before executing a line breaking pass onto the path of the overlapping Kandu Gustave.

Gustave then reached the byline before unleashing a cut back to Oliver Nshimiyimana to walk the ball into the net.

Second Half

This required Kenya to play with a little bit more urgency for the second half, and William Muluya was proactive, opting to bring on Nicholas Ocholla as he sought to inject more urgency into his attack.

After a long period of spells in possession, Kenya would restore parity through Acholla himself. 

Armstrong Omondi received the ball in a good area, the Alliance High School forward unleashed a testing cutback across goal that ricochetted off a Rwandan defender, before Ocholla capitalised on the rebound to find the back of the net.

Kenya did not stop there, and in the 77th minute, were 2-1 up through Trevor Nasasiro, with Ocholla himself turning provider this time round after running with the ball down the right before sending a dangerous low cross into the box, which the Light Academy forward took full advantage of to send the Kenyans into frenzy.

Omondi should have buried it for Kenya in the 87th minute after a quick break initiated by left back Julius Buong who carried the ball forward before setting up substitute Nathan Achola who spun and turned it to the MOFA attacking midfielder, but he saw his effort blaze over the bar.