In Cairo
After more than four decades on the sidelines, Kenya makes a long-awaited return to the Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals tonight with a high-stakes Group ‘B’ opener against Morocco.
The match kicks off at 9pm East African Time (EAT) at the 30 June Stadium in Cairo. The other pool match will see record seven time winners Nigeria take on Tunisia at 6pm.
Nicknamed the ‘Rising Stars’, Kenya last featured in the continental youth tournament in 1979—then known as the African Youth Championship—when they were eliminated in the preliminary round by Ethiopia, losing 4-2 on aggregate.
Since then, Kenya has unsuccessfully attempted to qualify for the finals in multiple editions, including in 1993, 1997, 2001, 2003, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2021.
Now under the stewardship of head coach Salim Babu, the Rising Stars are determined to seize their opportunity on the continental stage. With a target of finishing among the top four teams and earning a spot at the 2025 FIFA U20 World Cup in Chile, a strong start against Morocco is crucial.
Drawn into a challenging Group ‘B’ with Nigeria, Tunisia, and Morocco, Kenya come in as underdogs but are eager to prove themselves.
Morocco, the 1997 champions and three-time quarter-finalists, boast a formidable squad, including 18-year-old Paris Saint-Germain Espoir defender Naoufel El Hannach and 19-year-old Saâd El Haddad, their top scorer during the UNAF zone qualification.
Morocco is led by coach Mohammed Ouahbi, who took over in March 2022. Formerly of Belgium’s Anderlecht youth academy, Ouahbi is aiming to guide the North African nation back to glory.
In a pre-match press conference yesterday, both sides expressed confidence.
“We respect Morocco, a strong opponent, but we don’t fear them,” said Rising Stars assistant coach Anthony Akhulia.
Team captain Amos Wanjala echoed the optimism, stating: “We trust our technical bench, have learned from our previous matches, and are confident in securing a win due to our strong team cohesion.”
He added that they had learned from their recent 2-2 friendly against Ghana and had corrected previous mistakes.
Kenya secured their historic place at the Afcon U-20 finals by finishing second in the CECAFA U20 regional qualifiers held in Dar es Salaam in October 2024.
“People are thinking of Kenya as a small team, but for us, this match is like playing in the finals and we are keen on the Kenyan game,” said Coach Ouahbi.
Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi during the pre match interviews in Cairo, Egypt on April 30, 2025.
Photo credit: Sila Kiplagat | Nation Media Group
Moroccan captain Mouad Dahak added: “Kenya has a strong team based on their videos. We anticipate a tough game and hope to win, Inshallah.”
Kenya will face Tunisia on Sunday, May 4 in their second match, before completing their preliminary matches against Nigeria on May 7.
Group ‘A’ of the tournament features four-time champions Egypt, former winners Zambia, Sierra Leone, South Africa, and Tanzania. Group ‘C’ includes defending champions Senegal, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and four-time winners Ghana.
The top two teams from the three groups, alongside two best third-placed teams will proceed to the quarter-finals of the competition.
The tournament which began last Sunday, will run till May 18. Hosts Egypt got proceedings underway with a 1-0 win against South Africa on Sunday, while débutantes Sierra Leone drew 0-0 with Zambia in the Group ‘A’ matches.
Egypt were due to face Sierra Leone in their second match yesterday, as South Africa played Tanzania. Holders Senegal begin their title defence tomorrow against Central African Republic, while DRC face Ghana as Group ‘C’ action begins.
The tournament boasts a proud history of producing some of Africa’s biggest football stars, including Mohamed Salah, Yaya Toure Patson Daka, and Benni McCarthy, the current Harambee Stars coach.
