Baron Ochieng, the captain of the Kenya U20 national football team, has expressed their determination to face any opponent at the upcoming TotalEnergies CAF Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, confidently stating, “We don’t fear anyone.”
Set to take place from April 27 to May 18, 2025, the tournament will feature 13 nations competing for the title and four spots at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile later that year.
Recently, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) held the final draw for the tournament, which was initially slated to occur in Ivory Coast until the West African nation withdrew. This will be Kenya’s debut in the tournament, where they are placed in Group B alongside the record seven-time champions Nigeria, former champions Tunisia, and Morocco.
Group A will see hosts Egypt, who have secured the title three times, compete against Zambia, Sierra Leone, South Africa, and Tanzania. Meanwhile, defending champions Senegal find themselves in Group C with the Central African Republic, DR Congo, and Ghana, the latter of which is eager to reclaim the title they last won in 2009 when they became the only African team to lift the FIFA U-20 World Cup.
Prior to the alterations in the draw, Kenya’s Rising Stars were grouped with Senegal, Zambia, and Sierra Leone in Group C, with their tournament kick-off scheduled against Sierra Leone on May 1, 2025, followed by Zambia on May 4, and concluding against Senegal on May 7.
The Rising Stars secured their place in the continental showcase following a commendable performance at the 2024 CECAFA U20 Qualifiers, where they finished as runners-up after narrowly losing to Tanzania in the final.
During the qualifiers, Kenya enjoyed an unbeaten run, achieving four victories and a draw, scoring 14 goals and conceding just one. This qualification marks a significant milestone for youth football development in the country, allowing the Rising Stars to display their talents on the continental stage against some of Africa’s finest.
Rising Stars Prepared to Represent Kenya
“Facing Morocco brings no fear,” Ochieng remarked. “Before the draw was revised, if we progressed through the group stages, we were likely to encounter them, possibly even in the quarter-finals or semi-finals. So, there’s no need to fear them in the group stage.”
Ochieng continued, “We are well-prepared for the challenges that lie ahead. As players, we cannot blame the weather if results don’t go our way; many of us from Nairobi travel to Mombasa for matches, and we often emerge victorious. Therefore, adaptation to the weather will not be an issue for us.”
On April 15th, President William Ruto ceremonially sent the team off for the tournament, however, they will first embark on a ten-day training camp in Morocco prior to heading to Egypt. According to Ochieng, the choice to train in Morocco will assist the team in acclimatising to the conditions they will encounter in Egypt.
“Our pre-camp in Morocco will set us up well before we head to Egypt, as the weather will be quite similar to what we’ll experience there. For us players, adapting to a new environment doesn’t take long; we’ll realistically need only two to three days to adjust,” Ochieng explained.
Addressing the match against Morocco, Ochieng said, “These days, there’s no such thing as football divided by Arabs and Blacks. We’ll approach each game with tailored tactics—the strategy we’d use against Senegal will differ from that against Morocco. Ultimately, it’s up to the coach to determine our direction, and we are prepared to execute his plans to the best of our abilities.”
Ochieng also acknowledged that the changes to the groupings have caused some disruption to their preliminary plans but remained optimistic and focused.
“Yes, it was a bit confusing when we learned about the changes to our group and were met with a different lineup of opponents. However, it’s motivating for us to face tougher challenges, so we are ready for what’s ahead. We trust in our skills and are committed to the fight,” he stated.
He concluded by asserting, “This isn’t about individual accolades; it’s about representing our country. I will do all I can to contribute to the team’s success, and if we win, we win as Kenyans—not as individuals. It’s about national pride, and we are excited to rise up to this new challenge and make our country proud.”
Kenya will kick off their campaign against Morocco on May 1, followed by matches against Tunisia on May 4 and Nigeria on May 7.
The tournament will adopt a three-group structure, with Group A comprising five teams and Groups B and C comprising four teams each. The top two teams from each group, along with the two best third-placed teams, will advance to the quarter-finals, culminating in the final on May 18, 2025.
With not just the continental title at stake, the four semi-finalists will also secure their places at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile 2025, contributing to the proud legacy of African teams on the global stage.
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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