Football

COSAFA CUP: Kenya's Emerging Stars kick off campaign against Zambia

Emerging Stars training in South Africa (C) FKF Media

By Michael Kirwa | Thursday, June 27, 2024

Kenya was invited as a guest team for the Southern Africa tournament and opted to send an U23 National side.

Kenyans will witness a vision of the future of the Harambee Stars when the Emerging Stars play Zambia in their opening 2024 COSAFA Cup match at at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth, South Africa from 7PM EAT.

The Emerging Stars, coached by Ken Odhiambo, are in Group B together with Zambia's Chipolopolo, Comoros, and Zimbabwe.

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As the Emerging Stars use this opportunity to earn experience and exposure internationally, they will also be looking to improve on Kenya's record in the competition.

This is Kenya's second appearance in the COSAFA Cup after exiting the group stage in the 2013 edition held in Zambia, where they drew 2-2 to Lesotho, defeated Swaziland 2-1, and lost 2-1 to Botswana.

Zambia is a team with which Kenya is quite familiar, having played 51 times against the southern Africans. However, that familiarity with Zambia has not been rosy, as Kenya's record against Chipolopolo stands at 19 victories, 7 draws, 25 losses, 65 goals scored, and 95 goals conceded.

It therefore goes without saying that this will be a tough match for Kenya, especially considering that it has been 49 years since Kenya last defeated Zambia in a match played on foreign soil, away and neutral venues included.

Since defeating Zambia 2-1 in the 1975 CECAFA Cup held in Zambia, Kenya has lost 11 times and drawn four times in their last 15 encounters with Zambia, which were played at an away or neutral venue.

Changing that record today will definitely give the Emerging Stars a massive boost as they claim their special place in the history of Kenyan football.

In addition to that, a victory will also see the Emerging Stars make a huge statement since Zambia are the competition's defending champions. They have also won three of the last four editions of the competition, which saw them become the competition's most successful team with seven titles.

It is that history that the Emerging Stars will look to topple, and it will be absolutely necessary that Ken Odhiambo's charges start the tournament with a victory as it will greatly increase their chances of progressing to the knockout stages.

The 2024 COSAFA Cup features twelve teams divided into three groups of four. Group A hosts South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique, and eSwatini.

Kenya, as mentioned above, is in Group B with Comoros, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Group C has Angola, last year's runner-up, Lesotho, Namibia, and the Seychelles.

The best team in each group qualifies automatically for the semifinals, while the remaining slot will go to the best second-placed team. Emerging stars therefore stand a chance of featuring in the last four if they win at least two matches in the group stage.

Kenya's squad for the 2024 COSAFA Cup

Goalkeepers

Byrne Omondi, Ibrahim Wanzala, and Dolph Junior

Defenders

Alphonce Omija, Paul Ochuoga, Sylvester Owino, Geoffrey Onyango, and Amos Wanjala

Midfielders

Stanley Wilson, Elly Owande, Chrispine Erambo, Aldrine Kibet, Austine Odhiambo, Patrick Otieno, John Ochieng, Kaycie Odhiambo, William Gitamu, and Rooney Onyango.

Forwards

Benson Omalla, Jeremy Bissau, Alfred Tanui, Hassan Beja, and Moses Shummah