The Nastic Soccer Academy ace, based in Tarragona, Spain, stole the limelight in Tuesday’s 4-0 demolition of Sudan during their final group-stage clash.
Kibet’s treble lit up the encounter while Kevin Wangaya added the icing with a fourth, taking his tally to four goals for the tournament.
The victory saw Rising Stars finish top Group ‘A’ with 10 points, edging hosts Tanzania by a single point. Sudan followed with six points, Rwanda claimed four and Djibouti ended with none.
Rising Stars will now face Group ‘B’ runners-up Burundi on Friday at the Azam Complex in Dar-es-salaam at 7 pm local time. Burundi finished with six points, trailing group leaders and tournament favourites Uganda by one.
Kibet is relishing the semifinal showdown, exuding optimism ahead of the clash. “We’re ready for Burundi. We know we’ve got what it takes to win,” he declared. He said the team is focused on securing a finals ticket and fighting for a third Cecafa crown. “Our focus is on reaching the final, and from there, we’ll go all out for the title.”
Kenya is eyeing a third Cecafa U20 crown, having clinched the title in 1975 and 1999, with runner-up finishes in 1973 and 2019. Reflecting on his hat-trick against Sudan, Kibet was pleased with his performance. “It’s my first international hat-trick, and doing it in such a big tournament is a massive honour,” he said.
Rising Stars have showcased resilience throughout the campaign, starting with a gritty 2-1 win over Tanzania, thanks to goals from Omondi and Wangaya.
They were held to a goalless draw by Rwanda before hammering Djibouti 4-0, where Wangaya struck twice, with Hassan Beja and Lawrence Okoth also finding the net. In the other semifinal, Uganda will lock horns with hosts Tanzania on the same day.
