Kenya exited the 2016 Olympic Games football qualifying competition at the weekend despite scoring four goals against Botswana in Nairobi. A 4-1 win at Nyayo Stadium levelled the first-round tie at 4-4 on aggregate, but the visitors squeezed through on away goals having won the first leg 3-0 two weeks ago.
Botswana play Zambia in the second round of the under-23 competition later this month and the winners tackle the Ivory Coast. Elimination was another blow for a Kenyan Olympic team coached by Scot Bobby Williamson after being outplayed by Egypt in a recent 2015 All-Africa Games qualifier. Michael Olunga, who missed the first-leg as he was doing exams, claimed a second-leg hat-trick and John Ndirangu also scored for Kenya.
But the crucial goal in Nairobi came midway through the opening half when Karabo Phiri levelled for Botswana. His equaliser left the east Africans needing at least four more goals to survive and they managed only three. Rwanda set up a showdown with Uganda after drawing 1-1 against Somalia in the steaming heat of Horn of Africa state Djibouti. Leading 2-0 after the first leg in Kigali, the Rwandans snatched a second-leg lead after only four minutes through Isaie Songa. Somalia equalised in the final minute via Abbas Mohammed. The match was moved to Djibouti because of insecurity in Somali capital Mogadishu. Ghana were the other first-round winners, defeating Liberia 7-1 overall to secure a date with Congo Brazzaville.
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