BY NATNAEL YEBIO
Match day three of the CECAFA under 15 tournament saw Kenya take on Sudan for their second match. After having convincingly won their first match 3-0 against Somalia, Kenya were looking forward to record their second win.
Sudan playing their first match of the tournament couldn’t simply avoid the fate the Somali’s suffered in the hands of the Hurambee stars, it was already 3-0 within 28 minutes. What the Kenya football federation is currently doing with their youth football development programs is already paying dividends.
The Kenyans look like serious football players, their movements on and off the ball, their positional sense in the field resembles that of seasoned professional rather than amateur football players. Sudan have nothing to be ashamed of on the day, this was just experience triumphing over raw undrilled talent.
#CecafaU15 Matchday 3:
Sudan 0-4 Kenya
Kenya looked like seasoned professionals as they recorded their second win in an emphatic 4-0 demolition of Sudan. pic.twitter.com/mvlazfYJNb— Natti (@nattiyebio) August 18, 2019
The second game of the day saw Burundi face off against Somalia.
Burundi confident on the back of their first victorious match against hosts Eritrea were looking to continue their winning ways, especially after having witnessed group leaders win their second match of the tournament in the early kickoff. Wining against Somalia would definitely put Burundi in a good place to qualify for the semi-finals.
Somalia on the other hand were hoping to recover from their first match defeat to Kenya. In a lively first half, Burundi took the lead through Irakoze Jean Darcy when he pounced on a loose ball from the goalkeeper, slotting it in the back of the net.
Somalia tried everything in the first half. Particularly through their talented number 10 Mohamed Omar Daud. They were to be rewarded one minute from the end of the first half when Nur Mohamed Ali saw his speculative shot end in the back of the net to the surprise of the Burundi goalkeeper Irankunda Osana.
Somalia picked up exactly where they left off in the second half. Threatening the Burundi goal on numerous occasions. However a momentary lack of communication between center backs Sabir Hassan and Nadir Shine of Somalia allowed Burundi striker Inteyiteka Jean to score his team’s second and final goal of the game as Somalia couldn’t mount a comeback against a very stubborn Burundi side.
Game ended 2-1 in favor of Burundi, leaving host nation Eritrea needing to win their second match of the tournament against Kenya on Tuesday, if they are to have any hopes of progressing to the semi-finals of the competition.
#CecafaU15 Matchday 3:
About to kick off:
Burundi Vs SomaliaBurundi will look to continue their winning ways on the back of a victory against hosts Eritrea, while Somalia hoping to recover from their first match defeat to Kenya. pic.twitter.com/zpu4eW0wvP
— Natti (@nattiyebio) August 18, 2019
Match day #4 will continue on Monday as Tanzania face Uganda and South Sudan facing Ethiopia both looking for their first win in this competition.
