Kenya’s Harambee Stars wound up their qualification matches for the 2022 FIFA World Cup on a winning note after beating Rwanda 2-1 at the Nyayo National Stadium on Monday evening.
First half goals from Michael Olunga and Richard Odada scored in the first half. Olivier Niyonzima scored Rwanda’s lone goal but they couldn’t finish off the comeback.
Olunga broke the deadlock for Kenya in the third minute of the game with a well taken volley from inside the box after Abdallah Hassan nodded the ball down for him.
Stars had been off to a positive start in the match attacking from the word go. Olunga almost grabbed a second minutes later when he took on a rasping shot from long range, but the Rwandese keeper turned the ball behind for a corner.
But Stars doubled their tally in the 16th minute from the penalty spot, Odada scoring his first goal in national team colors after Erick ‘Marcelo’ Ouma was brought down by keeper Fiacre Ntwali.
Stars were in cruise control and Olunga should have had a second when he controlled the ball inside the box and found space to shoot, but the effort was blocked by the keeper. The clearance ricocheted against Abdallah but the ball went wide.
Kenya were fierce moving forward and should have had the second goal on the half hour mark when the enterprising Ouma made a daunting run on the left, finding space to shoot.
However, his low grass cutter was palmed behind for a corner by the keeper.
In the second half, Ouma was hauled off as he had picked up a nagging injury from his collision with the keeper that led to the penalty and was replaced by Samuel Onyango.
But, it was the Rwandese who were more attacking as they sought to get a goal that would have taken them right back into the game.
Ernest Sugira, who had been brought in as a substitute midway through the first half had chances to score, his huge frame bullying the Kenyan defense. He came close with a snap shot from range that nearly caught keeper James Saruni off guard, but it went inches wide.
The Amavubi however got their goal in the 6th minute when Niyonzima tapped the ball home unmarked at the backpost when the Kenyan backline failed to clear away a freekick from the left.
Rwanda almost had the second and an equalizer a few minutes later when out of no pressure, defender Joseph Okumu lost the ball in a dangerous area. However, Sugira failed to hit the target with his shot, striking high and wide.
The Rwandese piled in the pressure, but their crossing in the final third as well as the finishing wasn’t as spectacular as the build up as they finished the qualifiers without victory.