Can the much-maligned Engin Firat solidify one of the most impressive runs by a Harambee Stars coach?
This is the question as the 54-year-old Turkish coach leads Harambee Stars against Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions in their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) Group “J” qualifier at Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium in Yaounde on Friday.
The match will kick off at 5pm local time (7pm Kenyan time), while the reverse fixture will take place on Monday behind closed doors at Mandela National Stadium in Kampala, Uganda.
Firat, a Uefa Pro License holder, has led Kenya to a seven-match unbeaten streak, comprising four wins and three draws.
However, Harambee Stars’ best record since 2000 came between December 2002 and June 2003 when the team went unbeaten for 12 matches, comprising seven wins and five draws.
Kenya’s highlight of that impressive run was a 3-1 victory over hosts Ghana in a friendly match. Having constantly been criticised by Kenyans over his qualifications, player selection, and match tactics, Firat has used every available opportunity to remind his critics about his record with Harambee Stars.
“We are unbeaten in seven matches in a row, I don’t know how many times it has happened in Kenya. We have won one cup outside (Four Nations tournament in Malawi in March), and I try to explain to the players that if we want to continue growing, then we have to set bigger targets and have to be ready against big teams like Cameroon,” said Firat on Wednesday.
Buoyed by Harambee Stars' 2-1 win over Namibia in their second match of the 2025 Afcon Group “J” qualifiers at the Orlando Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa on September 10, Firat bragged over the team’s unbeaten record.
“They (Harambee Stars) are unbeaten this year. For the first time they have won a cup outside Kenya and in six matches we have scored 10 goals,” said the coach.
“Before we had never defeated Namibia at home but we have won now. I cannot continue to count whenever you have so many wins outside of Kenya. If people cannot realise (the team’s progress) then there is nothing I can say, I am proud of the boys and to me, this is just a start,” he added.
In the seven unbeaten matches, Kenya hammered Seychelles 5-0 in a 2026 Fifa World Cup Group “F” qualifier, before beating Malawi 4-0 and Zimbabwe 3-1 respectively in the Four Nations tournament in Lilongwe.
Harambee Stars then battled to a 1-1 draw and barren draw against Burundi and reigning Afcon champions Cote d’Ivoire respectively in the 2026 Fifa World Cup Group “F” qualifiers held in Lilongwe.
Before Kenya defeated Namibia 2-1 last month, they had battled to a barren draw with Zimbabwe in another 2025 Afcon Group “J” qualifier held in Kampala.
With Moldova, Firat registered zero wins, three draws, and eight losses in an uninspiring 11-match record. Nation Sport on September 10 that the team was not performing well under Firat.
“Evidence shows that we are not doing well. When Firat came, he said that he was building a new team, but if you ask me, I can say that he has not managed to get things right,” said Oduor.
“We are not on the right track. They need to work harder,” noted Ogolla.
Apart from the seven-match unbeaten run, Firat has handled Kenya in 11 other fixtures.
He registered three wins, two draws, and six losses that angered many local fans. Now, buoyed by the availability of most of his key players, Firat is exuding confidence that they will give Cameroon a run for their money in the two crucial matches.
The Indomitable Lions, coached by Marc Brys, boast of several top players including Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana and forwards Vincent Aboubakar (Hatayspor, Turkey) and Bryan Mbeumo (Brentford, England).
Kenya has never beaten Cameroon in international football. The two sides have met eight times, with Cameroon winning four times, while the other four matches have ended in draws. They last met on January 9, 2010, in a friendly match played in Nairobi, with Cameroon winning 3-1.
Kenya are second in the pool with four points, similar to Cameroon. Zimbabwe went top of the group on Thursday after a 1-0 win over Namibia at the Orlando Stadium in South Africa.
Zimbabwe are on five points, while Namibia remain bottom with no points after three matches. The top two teams from the 12 qualifying groups will qualify for next year's finals in Morocco.
Firat reckons that Kenya’s outcome in the two matches will signal whether the team will feature in the 35th Afcon edition in Morocco next year.
Stars will be boosted by the return of skipper and top scorer, Michael Olunga, who missed the last two matches against Namibia and Zimbabwe due to injury. Kenya are aiming to qualify for Afcon for the first time since the 2019 edition in Egypt.
