Tusker FC head coach Charles Okere has heaped praise on the Kenya U20 national team for their high level of competitiveness during a friendly match played on Saturday at the Police Sacco Grounds.The friendly encounter served as preparation for both teams’ upcoming fixtures. The Rising Stars are gearing up for the U20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Egypt, while Tusker, having been eliminated from the Mozzart Bet Cup in the round of 32 by Nairobi United, are focusing on their next league clash against Nairobi City Stars.##NAJAVA_MECA_8850358##In a tightly contested match, the Brewers edged out the junior national side 3-2. Tusker’s goals came from Deogratious Ojok, Ian Simiyu, and Dennis Oguta, while Baron Ochieng and Oliver Machaka found the back of the net for the Salim Babu-coached Rising Stars.Speaking after the match, Okere lauded the young national team, who are set to depart for a 10-day training camp in Morocco ahead of their journey to Egypt. He emphasized that the Rising Stars provided the exact kind of intensity his team needed ahead of their league showdown with Simba wa Nairobi.“These are young boys from the Kenya national U20 team, and they gave us the intensity that we anticipate in our upcoming match against Nairobi City Stars,” he told the club’s official media.Boost for Rising Stars as Wanjala confirms arrival dateDespite conceding two goals, Okere expressed satisfaction with his team’s ability to find the net—an area they’ve struggled with recently, especially following the injury to top scorer Ryan Ogam.“I can say we have achieved the objective of the game because they pushed us and showed us areas we need to improve in, particularly defensively. On the positive side, we managed to score three goals, and that’s encouraging considering our recent struggles in front of goal,” he noted.Kakamega Homeboyz forward sets fresh target after Kenya U20 omissionHe also highlighted the importance of squad rotation, confirming that nearly all his players got valuable minutes in the game.“I can say it has been a very good match. We shared the minutes among the players—only one or two didn’t play. By the time we face City Stars, everyone should be in good shape,” Okere concluded.Former-Kenya Police, AFC Leopards coach lands top job with Harambee Stars
