The Emerging Stars of Kenya will take on Chipolopolo from Zambia in the first match of Group B at the ongoing Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) Cup held in South Africa today at 7:00 pm, at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium (Gqebera).This is the seventh year in a row that the regional championship will be held in South Africa, with 12 nations participating, divided into three groups of four each.Kenya is not a member of COSAFA but received an invitation to the tournament after Malawi pulled out and will be making its second appearance in the championship after featuring in the 2013 edition.Other teams in Group B are Comoros and Zimbabwe.##NAJAVA_MECA_8183876##Kenya has not lost any of its last five matches, winning three and drawing the last two.The last of the matches was a goalless draw against African Champions Ivory Coast, preceded by a 1-1 draw against Burundi.Ranked 108th in the FIFA standings, Kenya took an under-23 squad to the tournament to give the next generation of players much-needed international experience.The team will be under Harambee Stars assistant coach Ken Odhiambo, assisted by Kariobangi Sharks gaffer William Muluya.Stars tactician Engin Firat, who many thought would stay behind, will now be in South Africa but will be watching from the stands. The team will be captained by Gor Mahia full-back Rooney Onyango.Coach Odhiambo said that the decision to take an averagely young squad was worth the risk.“This is a risk that we are taking but it is worth it. Actually, this is what we have been waiting for… Rome was not built in a day. We move from the foundation to the roof,” said Odhiambo.Kenyans will be keenly following to see how the team performs.Ugandan striker Ojok discusses contract and future hopesCoach Chisi Mbwewe’s Chipolopolo have the most number of COSAFA Cups, having won it seven times since it was established in 1997. They are also the defending champions and have won the last two editions.Zambia will be looking forward to getting a win over Kenya even as they aim to be the first country to win it three times in a row.Zambia is ranked higher than Kenya, occupying the 90th position, their lowest in the last two years. This can be attributed to their recent losses against Tanzania and Morocco.They will be going into the match on the back of a poor run of form, having won only one of their last five matches and only two in the last ten.Gad promises a better rebound following an injury-plagued season.Head to HeadKenya and Zambia have met seven times previously, with the first match taking place in 1973 where Zambia won 2-0.Of the seven encounters, Kenya has only won once, and that was the last meeting between the two sides in a friendly match in 2020.Kenya won courtesy of an own goal from Tandi Mwape in the 21st minute and Cliff Nyakeya in the 27th minute, with Zambia’s goal scored by Kelvin Kampamba.None of the Kenyan players in South Africa were part of this squad. The other matches have ended in four wins for Zambia and two in stalemates.
