- Rising Stars assistant captain Baron Ochieng reflects on key lessons from their AFCON U20 debut tournament, held earlier this month in Egypt.
- The Rising Stars fell short in the group stage, exiting the competition without a single victory.
- One of the biggest lessons he learned was the importance of decisiveness – taking immediate action, whether clearing the ball or attempting a shot, rather than hesitating and waiting for the official verdict.
Rising Stars’ assistant captain, Baron Ochieng, has shared crucial insights gained from Kenya’s debut in the U20 Africa Cup of Nations tournament held earlier this month in Egypt.
The right-back was part of the Kenya U20 squad that participated in the continental competition, which concluded last Sunday, with South Africa clinching their first title.
Unfortunately, the Rising Stars were eliminated in the group stage after failing to secure a single victory.
They earned just one point from a dramatic 2-2 draw against Nigeria in their final match.
Kenya opened the tournament with a narrow 2-3 loss to Morocco, followed by a 3-1 defeat to Tunisia.
Despite displaying commendable fighting spirit, the young stars struggled to withstand the relentless pressure from their opponents.
Rising Stars lessons learnt in Egypt
In an interview with Sport On, Ochieng expressed how the tournament exposed a stark contrast between their style of play and that of other continent nations.
One of the biggest lessons he learned was the importance of decisiveness – taking immediate action, whether clearing the ball or attempting a shot, rather than hesitating and waiting for official verdicts.
One thing I’ve learned in this tournament is that there’s a different level of football out there compared to what we arere used to locally. Watching how the Arab teams play, it’s evident they have been trained in a very tactical and clinical way,” Ochieng stated.
He recounted a specific incident during their match against Morocco when team captain Amos Wanjala went down in the build-up to a goal, prompting appeals for a foul.
However, Morocco continued play and scored while the Kenyan players waited for a decision.
For instance, in the Kenya Premier League, when our captain Amos Wanjala went down injured during the Morocco match, the shock of seeing him in pain momentarily paralyzed us. By the time we reacted – raising our hands to appeal, Morocco had already scored, leaving us awaiting VAR’s verdict. That hesitation cost us,” Ochieng explained.
The Sofapaka defender emphasized the importance of maintaining focus and acting decisively during critical moments.
Those players are taught to finish the play first – either clear the ball or score and then wait for the officials to review it. We, on the other hand, tend to hold back out of sympathy when a player is down. That’s a fundamental difference between our football and theirs.”
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Ochien g also highlighted how their opponents demonstrated tactical superiority, especially in terms of conserving energy and exploiting Kenya’s lapses in concentration.
I realized that our opponents were very strategic – they studied our play, preserved their stamina, and struck when we lost control. Their approach was calculated.
But I believe, with proper training, our energy levels could match or even surpass theirs. After our match with Morocco, even their players admitted it was a physically intense game
But football isn’t just about energy; it’s about mentality. That’s the next frontier for us,” he added.
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