Kenya’s U23 team, the Emerging Stars, secured a crucial 2-0 victory over Zimbabwe in their final Group B match at the COSAFA Cup in Port Elizabeth on Tuesday afternoon. The win was powered by second-half goals from Austin Odhiambo and Benson Omalla, both of Gor Mahia. This victory propelled Kenya to second place in Group B, just behind Comoros who clinched the top spot with a 1-0 win over Zambia in the simultaneous match.

Kenya’s chances of advancing to the semi-finals hinge on their positioning as the best second-placed team across all groups. They await the outcome of Group C matches, where both Angola and Namibia, each with four points, need to drop points for Kenya to have a shot at advancing. Angola faces Lesotho, while Namibia takes on Seychelles, both aiming to secure their spot in the semi-finals.

The first half of Kenya’s match against Zimbabwe was tightly contested, with limited scoring opportunities. Kenya had a couple of half-chances, notably Rooney Onyango’s shot over the bar and Hassan Beja’s missed opportunity from close range.

However, Kenya came out strong in the second half, breaking the deadlock in the 51st minute when Odhiambo struck from the right after receiving a cross from captain Rooney. Omalla doubled Kenya’s lead in the 69th minute, skillfully lifting the ball over the oncoming goalkeeper after a long ball.

Despite Zimbabwe’s efforts to mount a comeback, Kenya’s defense held firm to preserve the clean sheet and secure a crucial victory. Now, the Emerging Stars eagerly await the results from Group C to determine their fate in the tournament, hoping for favorable outcomes that could see them progress to the semi-finals of the COSAFA Cup.

In other news – Prominent businessman Mike Chimombe evicted amid legal troubles

In a series of setbacks for businessman Mike Chimombe, his company Millytake Enterprises (Private) Limited faces eviction from its Eastlea offices in Harare. Chimombe, along with his business partner Moses Mpofu, is currently embroiled in legal proceedings for allegedly defrauding the government of over US$7 million intended for the Presidential Goat Pass-on Scheme.

Additionally, they are implicated in another scandal involving Wicknell Chivayo, where they allegedly secured a corrupt US$40 million tender from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) for electoral materials during the controversial 2023 general elections. Read More