An early red card saw Kenya’s Emerging Stars, the U23’s fall 2-0 to Comoros in their second match of the ongoing COSAFA tournament in South Africa. A brace either side of half time from Affande Djambae condemned Kenya to its first defeat of the annual tournament.Having successfully dispatched tournament giants Zambia on match day one, Ken Odhiambo’s boys looked poised to continue their high-flying form in the second game, and began the match brightly, with only one change being made from the opening day.##NAJAVA_MECA_8186086##Austine Odhiambo was the first to test his laces with a 40 yard effort that went over the bar in just the third minute. Ten minutes later, Comoros, feeling the game drifting out of reach, would occasion the match’s first booking. Alfonsi Ahmed had gone in hard on midfielder Chris Erambo in the middle of the park.Gor Mahia right-back Paul Ochuoga had sat out Emerging Stars’ opening match against Zambia and seeing it fit to reshuffle his line-up, coach Odhiambo brought the youngster in for Comoros. Police Captain Musa Mohammed revels in Mozzart Bet Cup triumphHe would be in the referee’s book on 12 minutes as Comoros began asserting themselves more in the contest. The resulting free-kick from Ochuoga’s foul, however, went just over the bar.A period of play ensued where Kenya insisted on playing long diagonals to the flanks, perhaps in the hopes of finding skipper Rooney Onyango and Patrick Otieno perfectly positioned, but these would bear little fruit in the way of breakthrough.In the 25th minute, Austine showed his fleet-footedness with a sleek back-heel played out to point man Benson Omala who would miss the target by inches. Three minutes later, the Gor Mahia midfielder would force a fumble from the opposition keeper from a corner kick but the Emerging stars lurking in the box were slow to react to the rebound.The day went from bad to worse for Ochuoga when in a moment of haste, failed to clear the ball in his box and was forced to bring Comoros forward Hadji down. A second yellow card for the lad and a penalty for the opponents. As Ochuoga headed to the dressing room, Djambae sent Comoros up from the spot.34’🇰🇪 0-1 🇰🇲We go a goal down from the penalty spot. Paul Ochuoga sent off pic.twitter.com/jWwlIO7e7M— Harambee Stars (@Harambee__Stars) June 30, 2024 A necessary reshuffling happened with Omita Alfonse dropping down to the left-back position as Rooney took his initial right-back territory. Having properly regrouped, Kenya had two close chances before the break with Erambo failing to perfectly connect Omija’s cut-back and Omala also failing to to put enough power on the end of an Austine delivery.Kenya trailed 1-0 at the break.Upon return, Comoros wasted no time stretching the match further away from Stars. Djambae capitalised on lax defending four minutes in to make it 2-0. Coach Odhiambo knew he had to respond in the way of changes and duly summoned Zanaco midfielder off for Kariobangi Sharks youngster Stanley Omondi five minutes later.48’🇰🇪 0-2 🇰🇲#EmergingStars pic.twitter.com/De9S4VLEV9— Harambee Stars (@Harambee__Stars) June 30, 2024 Kenya came close despite playing shorthanded, Erambo, latching on a loose ball in the opposition 18-yard area after a corner-kick, saw his shot bounce off the woodwork.Omondi’s introduction in the match seemed to be aimed at calming the midfield already outnumbered and despite the youngster working towards this, the Sharks of Comoros had smelled blood and wanted more from the match. Their breakaways on the counters, however close they came, birthed little.The Stars upped the tempo in the final stages of the match, and Omondi’s 82nd minute shot was the closest to trouble the Comoros keeper.Otieno and Amos Wanjala made way for Tanui Emoni and Aldrine Kibet with just two minutes of regulation time as the coach sought to rescue something from the match. Little would come of these changes as Comoros made away with the match day spoils.FT🇰🇪 0-2 🇰🇲#EmergingStars pic.twitter.com/9qOzYBre6B— Harambee Stars (@Harambee__Stars) June 30, 2024 Kenya’s final group match will be against Zimbabwe who, already on three points from defeating Comoros on match day one, will square out with Zambia in the evening.
