CAIRO, Egypt – May 4, 2025 — Kenya’s national men’s U20 football team, the Rising Stars, saw their chances of advancing to the knockout stage of the ongoing U20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2025) severely dented after a 3-1 defeat to Tunisia in their second Group B match, played at the 30th June Stadium in Cairo.
The Rising Stars, who suffered a narrow 3-2 loss to Morocco in their opening match, entered Sunday’s fixture looking to bounce back. Their bright start was rewarded in the 35th minute when Lawrence Ouma scored from close range, finishing off a pinpoint cross from Hassan Beja to give Kenya a deserved lead.
However, Tunisia equalized in first-half stoppage time after being awarded a penalty. Fares Bousnina stepped up and converted calmly, bringing the sides level at 1-1 heading into the break.
Second Half Collapse Leaves Kenya on the Brink
After halftime, Tunisia shifted gears and took control of the game. Omar Ben Ali netted their second goal to give Tunisia the lead, and Alleidine Derballi added a third to secure a crucial comeback win. The result marked Tunisia’s first victory of the tournament, following their earlier 1-0 defeat to Nigeria.
Despite showing attacking intent, Kenya struggled to recover after falling behind and lacked the defensive composure to keep Tunisia at bay.
Rising Stars Now Face Do-or-Die Scenario Against Nigeria
With two defeats in as many games, Kenya remain at the bottom of Group B with zero points and a -5 goal difference. While they are not yet mathematically eliminated, their qualification hopes rest on an unlikely set of results in the final group matches.
To have any chance of progressing:
- Kenya must beat Nigeria in their final group match on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, ideally by a wide margin.
- They will also need a draw or low-margin win in the Morocco vs Tunisia match.
- Even then, their best hope may be finishing as one of the best third-placed teams across all groups — a long shot at this stage.
Match Recap: Kenya U20 vs Tunisia U20 – U20 AFCON 2025 Group B
- Date: Sunday, May 4, 2025
- Venue: 30th June Stadium, Cairo, Egypt
- Final Score: Tunisia 3-1 Kenya
- Kenya Scorer: Lawrence Ouma (35’)
- Tunisia Scorers: Fares Bousnina (45+1’ PEN), Omar Ben Ali, Alleidine Derballi
- Next Fixture: Kenya vs Nigeria – Wednesday, May 7, 2025
