Kenya’s Rising Stars are brimming with confidence as they prepare to face powerhouse Morocco in their opening match of the Africa U20 Cup of Nations (AFCON) Group B stage. The match is scheduled for tonight at 9 pm EAT at the 30 June Air Defence Stadium in Cairo.

Under the guidance of head coach Salim Babu, the Rising Stars, making their debut appearance at the biennial tournament, completed their final training session today, showing high spirits and readiness despite missing three key players due to injuries.

Assistant coach Anthony Akhulia expressed optimism about the team’s preparations and morale. “We lack three players who are injured, but we can manage the situation. We respect Morocco, but we know our ability, and we must win our first game. We will try to go for a win to motivate us into the second match. The team is highly motivated,” Akhulia said during a pre-match press conference.

Team captain Amos Wanjala echoed this sentiment, emphasizing teamwork and learning from past mistakes. “We work as a team; we have a good gel, and we are waiting for a good championship. We will try not to repeat the mistakes we committed against Ghana, conceding easy goals against Morocco,” he stated.

Following tonight’s clash with Morocco, Kenya will face Tunisia on Sunday, May 4, before concluding their group matches against Nigeria on May 7.

The top four teams from this tournament will qualify for the FIFA U20 World Cup scheduled to take place in Chile from September 27 to October 19, 2025, offering Kenya a chance to showcase their talent on the global stage.

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