The Kenya U17 boys’ team, the Junior Stars, were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw against Somalia in their opening match of the 2026 U17 Africa Cup of Nations CECAFA Qualifiers at the Abebe Bikila Stadium in Addis Ababa.
Somalia, who came into the match with the advantage of having already played South Sudan in a 2-2 draw, started the game with more urgency and sharper rhythm.
Their quick start nearly paid off in the 8th minute when Abdalla Abdirahman bundled the ball into the net after colliding with goalkeeper William Owino, but the referee ruled it out for a foul on the Kenyan keeper.
The scare seemed to jolt Kenya awake. From the 10th minute onward, the Junior Stars grew into the contest, with Nicholas Ochola proving a constant threat on the left flank. Kenya won a pair of free kicks in promising positions, with Ochola sending the better one narrowly over the bar.
The pressure finally produced results in the 30th minute. From a short corner, Ochola picked out Georgian Omondi at the edge of the box. Omondi executed a brilliant turn to escape his marker before drilling the ball into the bottom corner to hand Kenya the lead.
Kenya pushed for a second before half-time but could not convert their half-chances.
After the break, Somalia returned visibly improved and took control of possession as they chased an equaliser.
Their persistence paid off in the 56th minute when a long pass behind Kenya’s high line released captain Anas Mohammed. With Owino advancing, the striker remained composed and guided the ball past him to level the score.
Kenya attempted to reclaim the lead, but it was Somalia who came closest late on. Mohamed Ali found the back of the net in the 74th minute, but the goal was ruled out for offside.
With neither side able to find a winner, the match ended in a draw—Somalia’s second of the tournament and Kenya’s first point.
The Junior Stars will now shift focus to Friday, 21 November, when they take on Rwanda at the same venue from 1:00 pm as they chase their first win of the qualifiers.
By Samson Jura
