CECAFA: Kibet stars as Kenya U18 edge Rwanda to advance to semis

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 CECAFA U18 BOYS CHAMPIONSHIP 2023 

Aldrine Kibet's lone strike on Tuesday — his second goal of the tournament — gave hosts Kenya a second successive victory in the CECAFA U18 Boys Championship 2023, which also secured their spot in next week's semifinals.

The attacking midfielder was the driving force behind the Junior Stars' thumping of Sudan in their opening Group A match last Saturday in Kisumu, a game in which he netted the third goal on the way to a one-sided 5-0 victory.

Three days later at Jomo Kenyatta International Stadium, Kibet's only goal, which came in the first half half, was the difference against a Rwandan side that had come into the game on the back of a 1-0 win over Somalia on day one.

Kenya and Rwanda looked to build on their triumphant start to their respective campaigns, but it was Salim Babu's boys that picked up the vital points, firming them at the summit of Group A.

In the afternoon fixture, Somalia defeated Sudan 3-0 realign their title ambitions. Idiris Bilal scored the opener in the first half, Mohad Abdulkadir improved that lead after the interval, before Mohamed Daud wrapped up a huge victory for the boys in blue-and-white.

The result lifted Somalia second of Group A, level on three points with Rwanda but with a better goal difference, and behind leaders Kenya, as Sudan continue to anchor the log.

Meanwhile, some 50 kilometres away in Kakamega, the second round of Group B matches will be played on Wednesday after the teams' opening duels last Sunday.

Zanzibar opened the group with a 1-0 victory over South Sudan at Bukhungu Stadium, before Uganda lost in an identical result against Tanzania in the second match of the group.

Moh'd Moh'd scored the lone winner in the first game of Group B while Sharif Wilson produced the goods in the second contest.

Kenyan duo Kibet and Louise Ingavi lead the goalscoring chart on two goals each.

Bobo Sibomana Sultan (Rwanda), Kenyan duo Tyron Junior and Elly Owande, Moh'd  (Zanzibar), Wilson (Tanzania) and Somali trio Idiris Bilal, Mohad Abdulkadir, Mohamed Daud have scored one goal each so far.

All the six games played thus far have produced one-sided results. Besides Kenya's 5-0 win over Sudan and Somalia's 3-0 result against Sudan, the other four matches have ended 1-0.

The two-week tournament kicked off last Saturday and ends next Friday (December 8).

The semifinals and final will be played in Kisumu, with the last-four duels scheduled for next Tuesday.

In the days leading to the competition, CECAFA competitions director Yussuf Mossi said this tournament is an ideal testing ground for participating teams and will  help them prepare for next year's AFCON U20 zonal qualifiers.