The assistant of the Kenny U20 Anthony Akhulia national team coach has detailed the reasons why the team failed to cross the group stages to the CAF U20 African Nations Cup in Egypt.

Rising starswho were making their first appearance at this stage of the competition of the African Football Confederation (CAF), withdrew to Group B along with seven times champions Nigeria, Morocco AND Tunisia. East African Nation under coach Salim Babu and his aide Akhulia started their campaign with a 3-2 losses against Morocco, lost 3-1 against Tunisia, before Nigeria holding 2-2 In their last group match.

Of the three group matches, Kenya, who qualified in the tournament, finishing runners in the Cecafa U20 qualifiers, going invincible throughout the tournament and showing their offensive Flair with 14 goals scored and only one accepted were the first to score but could not defend their direction.

Against Morocco, the rising stars began the shiny match and were rewarded in the 16th minute when Lawrence harsh rose the highest to go home Kevin inehu‘s pinpoint-free-coding. However, Morocco hit again just before the break when Yassir Zabiri Detected with a well -established conclusion that was finally confirmed by VAR after initial suspicions of a possible violation.

At the beginning of the second half, Zabir doubled his result with a sharp head from the near distance to give Morocco’s superiority, but Kenya responded when Hassan Beja fired in a hook from the center of the box after the smart game of connection with Aldrine KibetLeveling results at 2-2.

Morocco, greedy, continued to suppress and recover the lead in the 78th minute. Reda laalaoui was locked in a smart pass by Saad El Haddad and traversed the goalkeeper to make it 3-2.

Like against Morocco, the rising stars shocked Tunisia after Ouma gave them the lead, but the North African Tunisia found a road again in the game shortly before half the time through a penalty converted by BousninFollowing a VAR compilation for handball from Baron Ochieng in the box.

Eagles Carthage came out prevailing after resumption and they finished game with goals by substitutes Omar Ben Ali and Alaeddine Derbal. Against Nigeria’s Flying Eagles, Kenya put on an inspired performance and twice took the superiority, just to connect again every time more experienced.

Kevin inehu gave East Africans a dream when he calmly threw home a sixth minute penalty Meline It was penalized for a handball inside the box after a VAR compilation.

Nigeria responded rapidly, and Areofhi equality reset in the 13th minute with a completion composed from the near distance after closing Simon Cletus‘Through the ball. Both sides continued to create chances, and Kenya amazed the Nigerians again in the middle of the second half when the deputy William Gitama completed a certain part well worked in the 68th minute to make it 2-1.

However, Kenya’s celebrations were short -lived as captain of Nigeria Daniel Bameyi converted a penalty after Rickson will order He was punished in the area by Lawrence Ouma, drawing the level of Nigeria once again.

The rising stars were unable to withstand the pressure

According to Akhulia, Kenya was undone in the three matches because they were unable to play under pressure and defend their superiority in many cases.

“As far as we moved to the camp and prepared for the tournament for more than two months, we arrived in Egypt and noticed that any little mistake you make, you are punished for it, and this is a very different level of football,” Akhilia said Flurry.

“Again there were var, we made mistakes thinking that it was not a mistake from our point of view, but when it was examined, it became a mistake and we were punished, so I think we have learned a lot like coaches, and also players have chosen some life lessons from the tournament, there are things we get to give, but when you reach a high level of football, it becomes a different game.”

Akhulia sheds more light where Kenya should be improved in readiness for subsequent tasks. “First, we need to improve mentally, all the more so from our players, you see the way they played, or we play, when we are leading 1-0, and then we can’t afford under pressure, every moment we are under pressure we have to give up, and accept.

“We really need to have a strong mentality in terms of how we play, how we manage ourselves. We also have to improve how to manage the game because we went out on the tournament because we were unable to manage the game, we had moments when we were running, and what should we do?” And if you check carefully, both Moroco and Tunisia defeated us because of this, unable to manage the game. “

Kenya should invest in youth football to succeed

For his part, the president of the Football Federation Federation (FKF), Hussein Mohamed, believes that without more emphasis on youth football investing in the game, Kenya will not be able to reach the level of their opponents in the tournament.

“What has come here is the experience. We need more experience to play in such tours. We need more experience to be able to play in this type of big stages,” said Mohamed.

“Another thing I have to talk about is investing in football, some of the places we have played against the tournament, have invested in football for a very long time, they have the right infrastructure, they have academies, they have many players playing vocational, outside the continent and within the continent in a very early stage.

“So the investment in the construction of the foundation, that investment in the construction of the sport, precisely from the school level, precisely from the level of young people it is clear at the end of the process.”

Mohamed continued: “This is where we have to do little concentration, our legacy will be what we can do with U15, U17, in the next five to seven years, indeed the national team to see.

“Saying that, we must continue to invest constantly, we must establish good governance structures, good training systems, we must build capacities for our coaches, and we must build capacities for players, administrators, around, so the work is cut for us.”

Kenya’s show in Afcon was not a surprise

Nigeria coach Eric Chelle gathered the praise for Kenya for their excellent shift show, despite failing to reach the quarter -finals.

“I like their transition when they get the ball again, they try to make some quick attacks, they have four players in the offending line, who are so fast, they are so fast, they are strong and can score at any given moment,” Offered Chelle.

“I think they have to work on their protection, work when they are under attack, how to position themselves because they have so many jogging, and in the big moment, they are a little tired.”

Giving his thoughts on the Kenya game versus Flying Eagles, coach Malian said: “Against Nigeria, it was a great, very interesting game and impressed me for Kenya, but I’m not surprised because the national team has improved every day, I watch many Kenya national team matches, so their show in Afcon is no surprise.”

Kenya, who reached five goals and accepted eight, ended in their group B with one point, while Morocco led with seven points to qualify in the neighborhoods along with Nigeria, who ended second with five points.