Harambee Stars Under-20 head coach Salim Babu says he was impressed with the performance of the Tusker Youth team, as the two sides faced off in a friendly match on Thursday afternoon at the KCB Sports Club.The Charles Okere-led Tusker juniors succumbed to a 2-1 defeat with the national team scoring through AFC Leopards’ Christopher Koloti and MOFA’s Syphas Owuor in either half, while the Youth Team’s goal was scored by the impressive Joseph Kirantu in the second half.##NAJAVA_MECA_7960617##Speaking in the aftermath of the build-up match, he Kenya Police gaffer lauded Tusker’s physicality terming them the right opponents ahead of the Four Nation Tournament to be held in Malawi.“They gave us a really good game. They are a good team, well-coached and physically impressive. That is the kind of opposition we wanted because that is the exact kind of opposition we would come up against. We needed the boys to toughen up a bit and the Tusker Youth team gave us that kind of a challenge,” Babu offered.Key FKF NEC members blast delegates briefing, say it is a diversion and a disgrace to transparencyTusker Youth assistant coach Peter Kariuki was also delighted with the performance of the team, saying they showed their worth against a worthy opponent, the national team, with players practically within their age group.“It was such a good exposure for these young boys because they need it. They have picked their lessons, they have also shown what we can do and we are really satisfied with what they gave today,” Kariuki said.Looking back at the match, he said; “We started a bit shaky probably because of a bit of stage fright but once we got into the game, we had a good performance. We have also picked areas we need to improve on as a team and that is the essence of such friendly matches.”Harambee Starlets stuck at 151 position in latest FIFA rankingsUnder the guidance of coach Babu, the Rising Stars squad comprises players from various teams participating in FKF-run leagues across the country, including 12 players from the 2023 CECAFA U18 Boys Championships and will be taking part in the tournament aimed at developing elite youth talent and prepare for the upcoming 2024 AFCON Under-20 qualifiers later this year
