Chijioke Gabriel
Flying Eagles star Rickson Mendos is optimistic the team will beat Kenya in their final group game at the 2025 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations.The Group B encounter will hold at the June 30 Air Defence Stadium, Cairo on Wednesday (today).
Aliyu Zubairu’s side started the competition with a slim 1-0 victory over Tunisia, and battled to a 0-0 draw against Morocco on Sunday.Kenya have a slim chance of progressing to the quarter-final after losing their opening two games to Morocco and Tunisia.
Mendos stated that the Flying Eagles will go all out for a win against the Rising Stars.“We have prepared well, the coaches have done well with us. We know how important this game is to our target in this competition. We will go all out and fight for the maximum points. It is important for us to win and top the group,” the striker told the team’s media officer, Shariff Abdallah.The Group B encounter will kick-off at 4pm Nigeria time.
Meanwhile, Secretary of the Kenya Football Coaches Association (KEFOCA), Bob Oyugi, believes Nigeria’s Flying Eagles will be desperate for a win against the Kenya U-20 side in today’s final Group B game of the 2025 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations at the 30 June Stadium in Cairo.The Rising Stars are currently at the bottom of their group with zero points from two matches. Morocco are topping it with four points, the same number as second-placed Nigeria, while Tunisia are third with three points.
However, in an interview, Oyugi, who admitted that Kenya’s chances of qualifying for the quarter-finals remain slim, called on the players to enjoy the game against Nigeria.This comes as Flying Eagles head coach Aliyu Zubairu told sports journalists that his side can’t afford to underrate the Rising Stars of Kenya.
Despite the East Africans position, Zubairu has warned his players not to underestimate the opponent.
Morocco and Tunisia will clash in the other group game. The outcome of the game will determine the eventual position of all the teams in the group.
Zubairu declared that his team want to secure top spot to guarantee their stay in Cairo.
