The national football team of Eritrea are through to the final of the 2019 CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup.

Eritrea rewrote football history by stopping defending champions Kenya 4-1 in the first semi final played at the StarTimes Stadium in Kampala.

After only nine minutes an own goal by Oscar Wamalwa saw Eritrea take the lead. The two teams continued to create numerous scoring chances, but Eritrea had better control of the game.

In the second half Eritrea run rings around Kenya before Abel Okbay Solomon chipped the ball from almost the center to beat Kenyan goalkeeper Samuel Odhiambo to make it 2-0 after 49 minutes.

But Oscar Wamalwa later pulled one back for Kenya after a tap-in on 52 minutes. Substitute Michael Habte Gebremesqel and Robel Kidane also got their names on the score sheet for Eritrea to complete the match 4-1.

It was the first time Eritrea reach the final of the regional tournament since their best performance was at the semi final stage in 2004.

“I am very happy that my young team is through to the final. We mastered Kenya’s approach and knew what to do,” said a happy Eritrean coach Efrem Haile Alemseghed. Kenya’s coach Francis Kimanzi said they had lost to a good team.

Hosts Uganda were still facing Tanzania in the second semi final match at the same Stadium. The final will be played on December 19th.