Harambee Stars face Namibia in final AFCON 2025 qualifier
By Rama Mohammed |
Harambee Stars will close their AFCON 2025 qualifying campaign this afternoon with a dead-rubber match against Namibia at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane. With both teams already out of contention, coach Engin Firat aims to finish on a high despite injuries and suspensions challenging his squad.
Harambee Stars will wrap up their AFCON 2025 qualification campaign this afternoon against Namibia in a dead-rubber clash at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane. Kick-off is set for 4 PM local time.
Kenya’s 1-1 draw with Zimbabwe on Friday ended their hopes of qualifying for the tournament in Morocco. With five points, Harambee Stars sit third in Group J, while Namibia, with just one point, are also out of contention. Cameroon and Zimbabwe, who will meet in the other Group J fixture, have already secured qualification.
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Kenya began their campaign on a high, leading the group after a draw with Zimbabwe and a win over Namibia. However, two losses to Cameroon, coupled with Zimbabwe’s back-to-back victories against Namibia, saw Kenya slip to third place, ultimately ending their AFCON hopes.
Warm ups#HarambeeStars pic.twitter.com/eD9spLsSvK
— Harambee Stars (@Harambee__Stars) November 19, 2024
Coach Engin Firat, under increasing pressure after the team’s elimination, will aim to end the campaign on a positive note. However, he will be without assistant captain Joseph Okumu, who was injured during the Zimbabwe game, and Amos Nondi, who is suspended after picking up two yellow cards. The return of Richard Odada, who missed the Zimbabwe match due to suspension, offers a boost for the squad.
Speaking ahead of the match, Firat admitted it has been challenging to motivate the players following Friday’s disappointment.
“Honestly, motivating the boys has not been easy. Friday's game was disappointing for them and for all of us, as we all wanted to go to AFCON,” he said on Monday.
“We’ve spent the last two days focusing on mental motivation and reminding the players that in football, every day brings new goals and challenges.”
Firat expects a tough battle against Namibia, who are also eager to end their campaign on a high.
“Namibia are performing well in the World Cup qualifiers, so we don’t expect an easy game. They’ll be determined to finish the year strongly,” he said.
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