‘We Can Beat Them’ - Rising Stars Aim Duo Promise Strong Finish Against Nigeria After Bowing Out of U20 AFCON

‘We Can Beat Them’ - Rising Stars Aim Duo Promise Strong Finish Against Nigeria After Bowing Out of U20 AFCON

Mark Kinyanjui 13:00 - 07.05.2025

Rising Stars will be hoping to end their tournament campaign on a high when they face Nigeria.

Rising Stars duo Amos Wanjala and Lawrence Okoth have vowed to end Kenya’s campaign at the U20 Africa Cup of Nations on a high when they face Nigeria in their final Group B fixture this Wednesday afternoon in Egypt.

Salim Babu’s men are already eliminated from the competition after back-to-back defeats to Morocco and Tunisia.

 Despite taking the lead in both matches, defensive lapses proved costly as Kenya fell 3-2 to Morocco on May 1 and 3-1 to Tunisia last Sunday. Midfielder Lawrence Ouma scored in both fixtures, with Hassan Beja also finding the net against Morocco.

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Rising Stars Aim Duo Promise Strong Finish Against Nigeria After Bowing Out of U20 AFCON
Rising Stars captain Amos Wanjala. Image || FKF

Wanjala: It’s a learning process

Ahead of their final group game, Wanjala acknowledged the team’s defensive issues have been their undoing. "Those are games we should have won, but things went as they did. We have been conceding very easily, and that is something we have worked on," he said. 

The midfielder admitted the two losses were disappointing but stressed that the team must take the lessons to heart. "Although those two losses have cost us, all in all, it is a learning process every day."

Okoth, Kenya’s leading scorer at the tournament with two goals, echoed Wanjala’s sentiments and promised to give his all against Nigeria. 

Okoth: Our defending should have been better

Rising Stars Aim Duo Promise Strong Finish Against Nigeria After Bowing Out of U20 AFCON
Rising Stars player Lawrence Okoth celebrates scoring against Morocco in their AFCON opener. (Photo Courtesy).

“As a striker, I did my job, but our defending has to be better. We should have done better as a team. I will try and find the back of the net against Nigeria. It is possible and I can beat them,” said the confident forward.

With Kenya rooted at the bottom of Group B and no chance of qualifying for the knockout stage, the match against Nigeria is a dead rubber.

 Tunisia, on three points, hold a head-to-head advantage over Kenya, while one of the two third-placed spots for the quarterfinals has already been claimed by a Group A team—leaving the Rising Stars with only pride to play for.

Akhulia: We cannot blame individuals

Assistant coach Anthony Akhulia refused to lay blame on individual players for the team’s defensive struggles, noting that it was a collective issue. “It’s not right to single out individuals. It’s a team problem. 

"It’s something we need to work on before we face our next opponent. It is a concern for me and our technical bench,” he stated.

First-choice goalkeeper Bernard Jairo, who missed the Tunisia match through injury, is expected to return, while left-back Telena Ochieng could also be in line for his first minutes of the tournament.

The match kicks off at 6 PM (EAT) and will be streamed live on the CAF TV YouTube channel.