Emerging Stars' head coach Ken Odhiambo has lavished praises on his charges after they sealed a crucial win to keep their 2024 Cosafa Cup title aspirations alive.
The valiant Kenya Under-23 brigade wrapped up second in Group 'A' with six points following a convincing 2-0 triumph over Zimbabwe at Wolfson Stadium in Port Victoria, South Africa on Tuesday.
The East African football powerhouse now stands a mathematical chance to frolic into the semifinals as the best runners-up in the 12-team tournament that has three pools.
"I'm happy we managed to put Sunday's disappointing performance against Comoros behind us. The resilient nature of our team enabled us to bounce back strongly against Zimbabwe," Odhiambo remarked.
"We looked a lot more organised and at ease both in the defensive and the attacking thirds unlike on Sunday when our world crumbled apart," he added.
Kenya orchestrated a pulsating display of tightly-knit passes that wreaked havoc on the opponent's obstinate defence, sending it crumbling into submission.
Austin Odhiambo's 54th-minute rasping shot and Benson Omalla's stunner in the 73rd minute were enough to steer Kenya to a well-deserved victory.
The win was a big reprieve for the Kenya Under-23 squad that suffered humiliation at the hands of Comoros a couple of days ago.
Odhiambo reckons they are halfway through achieving their objectives in the tournament.
"We are on course to achieving our two targets. We came here to win and not just participate," Odhiambo remarked.
"I'm also glad to witness the brilliance displayed by our youngsters. Remember we are keenly looking for fresh talent that can hold brief for Kenya in future assignments," he added.
Skipper Rooney Onyango was full of flowery words for his teammates, saying they deserve a pat on their backs for exhibiting great character in the match.
"Teamwork won us this match. We hope to qualify for the semifinals and fight hard for the trophy," Onyango started.
