Kenya’s journey at the TotalEnergies CAF U20 Africa Cup of Nations came to an end on Wednesday night, but not without a valiant final display that earned them a 2-2 draw against continental heavyweights Nigeria at the 30 June Stadium in Cairo.
Despite already being eliminated before kick-off, the Junior Stars showed heart and resilience against a Nigerian side that had yet to concede in the tournament.
Kevin Injehu opened the scoring for Kenya just six minutes in, confidently converting a penalty after a VAR-reviewed handball by Emmanuel Chukwu.
Though Nigeria quickly responded with a 13th-minute equalizer from Kparobo Arierhi, Kenya refused to back down.
Substitute William Gitama stunned the West Africans again in the 68th minute with a clinical finish from a well-rehearsed set-piece to make it 2-1.
But the lead was short-lived. Just five minutes later, Nigerian captain Daniel Bameyi equalized from the spot after a foul by Lawrence Ouma in the box.
While the result wasn’t enough to keep Kenya in the tournament, the performance highlighted the side’s attacking potential and fighting spirit.
The team managed to score in all three of their group matches but ended with just one point, finishing fourth in Group B.
Despite their early exit, the Junior Stars earned respect for their fearless approach and will return home with valuable experience and renewed hope for the future of Kenyan football.
Morocco and Nigeria progress to the quarter-finals, while Kenya and Tunisia bow out.
