Harambee Stars are set to leave for Uganda Monday ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign which kicks off this week.
Michael Olunga was the last addition to the final squad, with head coach Engin Firat urging his charges to demonstrate excellence when they lock horns with the Warriors of Zimbabwe in their opening Group J clash at the Mandela National Stadium this coming Friday.
Stars will later proceed to South Africa on Saturday where they will battle Namibia’s Brave Warriors.
Firat says the national team has been deprived of key players with experience in the international stage.
“The boys who are here will fight every second, and we will try our best. It is six matches and not just two, so we hope that in November, we will have the whole squad together—you never know,” Firat stated confidently during a media briefing before their training session at the Police Sacco Stadium in South C on Sunday.
Firat emphasized the importance of the entire qualification process, stressing that while the first two games are critical, the focus should be on accumulating points across all six matches.
He explained that avoiding defeat in the initial matches would be crucial, as every point could make the difference in securing a top-two finish in the group, which is necessary to qualify for the tournament.
“The most important thing is the points we will have by the last match. Sometimes it is important not to lose. All teams are close to each other and have strong squads, so if we do not lose, the rival will not get three points,” Firat explained, highlighting the tactical approach his team will adopt.
Firat is optimistic about Kenya’s chances of qualifying for AFCON 2025, especially if they can remain in contention by November.
“If everything is in our hands in November, then we will be in a good way because this is what we want to do, and we are optimistic we will be at AFCON,” he added.