Rising Stars return from AFCON U20 with lessons learnt and eyes on the future
Kenya’s U20 national team has returned from their debut appearance at the Africa U20 Cup of Nations with one point and plenty of lessons. Despite a group stage exit, the Rising Stars are drawing optimism from the experience and calling for stronger structures and better preparation for future tournaments.
Kenya’s U20 national football team, the Rising Stars, are back home after their debut campaign at the 2025 Africa U20 Cup of Nations (AFCON U20) in Egypt. Although they exited at the group stage, the team returns with vital lessons, a hard-earned point, and renewed determination to improve.
Drawn into a tough Group B alongside continental heavyweights Nigeria, Morocco, and Tunisia, Kenya managed a 2-2 draw against Nigeria but suffered narrow defeats to Morocco and Tunisia, finishing bottom of the group with one point.
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Head Coach Anthony Akhulia, speaking upon arrival, acknowledged the high expectations and expressed mixed emotions about the team’s performance - balancing disappointment with pride in their effort and growth.
“It has been a good experience. It was our first tournament. I know much was expected from us. At some point I felt like maybe we let Kenyans down. But again, I realised that it was just our first tournament and we learnt a lot,” said Akhulia.
He stressed the importance of early and consistent preparation for future competitions, noting that more international friendlies would give the team a competitive edge.
“We only did one international friendly against Ghana in the foreign-based camp. I feel like if we can have more friendlies with teams like Morocco, Egypt, and South Africa, they'll give us an edge. That friendly against Ghana really helped us understand how West African teams play. That's why we handled Nigeria the way we did.”
Akhulia also urged the Football Kenya Federation and government to keep the squad together and provide a roadmap for growth through regional competitions like CECAFA U20.
“The federation and the government, they only need to know how to keep them together. Those that will be of age, again, let them be put together and maybe add a few additional players so that we have a great team for CECAFA.”
His views were echoed by National Teams Coordinator Athanas “Obango” Obala, who focused on the positives gained from the experience, despite the early exit.
“We are happy that they put up a spirited fight despite coming back home early. We could pick a few positives from the team, that we have a future in terms of giving these young guys more exposure.”
Obala emphasised the need for long-term investment in grassroots football, pointing to the strength of their opponents as a result of years of structured youth development.
“You could see that they have good structures. That is what really gave them the energy to be able to perform well. But we have to put our structures right for both boys and girls and ensure that we participate more often in these tournaments.”
He also praised the role played by the federation and government in preparing the team, while calling on fans to remain patient as the young squad develops.
“These boys are still young. The schedule may have been overwhelming for them, but they have learnt a lot. I know with CHAN coming around the corner, the majority of them could be in the team. We expect to see good things ahead.”
Team captain Amos Wanjala reflected on the campaign with honesty, admitting the players had hoped for better results, but are returning home more mature and focused.
“Even though we didn't have a good time in Egypt, we have learnt a lot of things. Now that we are back home, we have come to correct. We know that there will be another time to fight back, to show that we can still do it.”
The Rising Stars opened their campaign with a narrow 3-2 loss to Morocco, followed by a 3-1 defeat to Tunisia. They earned their only point in their final group match against Nigeria, leading twice before settling for a 2-2 draw.
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