Emerging Stars target winning start in CECAFA tournament

The national U23 team will be hoping to kick off their quest to claim the CECAFA tournament on a winning note when they take on Djibouti on Sunday in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.

The team, christened as Emerging Stars returns to action after two years of inactivity and is placed in pool C of the tournament alongside their match day opponents and South Sudan.

Ahead of the opener, fast-rising centre back Frank Odhiambo is optimistic that they will carry the day courtesy of their good preparations and quality in the Kenyan camp.

Odhiambo who will be jostling to partner with the team's skipper Bernard Ochieng at the heart of defence revealed that coach Stanley Okumbi put emphasis on the significance of taking each game at a time, a strategy he believes will see them progress to the final and lay hands on the trophy. 

The Gor Mahia defender who was part of the U20 team that reached to the semifinals of the regional tournament last year in Arusha will face off with Kakamega Homeboyz centre half Sylvester Owino in partnering the battle-hardened Ochieng. 

"We are hoping to begin with a win. We had good preparations both in Nairobi and in the days we have been here. We are taking each game at a time until the final. We can not afford to underrate our opponents," said the former Bongonaya player. 

While Odhiambo was cautious about their chances in the game, the team's right-back Brian Wepo feels that Djibouti will soak in goals.

The KCB player who won silver with the U20 team in 2019 in Uganda said that Okumbi had prepared them not only to thrash Djibouti but to claim the Cup.

"We are ready for them. I have a feeling that we will score goals for fun as we had good preparations," said the former Nzoia Sugar man.

The match which kicks off at 4 pm will be live on Azam TV.