Five star Kenya hammer Sudan in Cecafa opener

Kenya's Tyron Kariuki (right) in action against Sudan during their Group A match of the 2023 Cecafa U18 Championships at Jomo Kenyatta Stadium, Kisumu. [FKF Media]

Kenya’s Junior Stars on Saturday kicked off the 2023 Council of East and Central Africa Football Association (Cecafa) U18 championships on the front foot with an emphatic 5-0 win over Sudan at Jomo Kenyatta Stadium in Kisumu.

US based forward Louise Ingavi scored a first half brace to inspire Kenya to victory in a match where Spain based Aldrine Kibet and National Super League rising star Tyron ‘Junior’ Kariuki impressed.

Ingavi gave Kenya a seventh minute lead after heading in from close range before Rainbow FC winger Kariuki doubled the scores at the half hour mark after turning his marker inside out before sending a low shot past a hapless Sudan goalkeeper Ahmed Alkhdeer.

Three minutes later, Spain-based Aldrine Kibet reminded Kenyans that he can still score goals after stretching Kenya’s lead to 3-0.

Ingavi, based in the United States with Montvarde Academy completed his brace on the stroke of half time to hand Kenya a comfortable 4-0 lead at the break.

In the final half, Elly Owandeput the final nail in the visitors' coffin with a late goal two minutes from full time as Kenya took charge of Group A.

Kenya lead the standings with three points and five goals, followed by Rwanda also with three points but with an inferior goal difference.

Rwanda had defeated Somalia 1-0 in a closely contested early kick off match played at the same grounds.