Kenya’s national football team, Harambee Stars, will face Tanzania’s Kilimanjaro Stars Tuesday evening at the Gombani Stadium in a thrilling Mapinduzi Cup encounter.
Both teams are determined to secure a win, with their respective coaches, Francis Kimanzi and Ahmed Ally, expressing confidence ahead of the clash that starts at 7pm Kenyan time.
Harambee Stars are set to play their final group match against Zanzibar Heroes on Friday, while Kilimanjaro Stars will take on Burkina Faso.
The top two teams with the most points will advance to the final, scheduled for January 13. The tournament winners will pocket Sh6.25 million, runners-up Sh4.35 million, and third-place finishers Sh3.1 million in prize money.
Zanzibar lead the table after a victorious opening match, while Burkina Faso and Harambee Stars each have one point. Kilimanjaro Stars are yet to secure a point after a 1-0 loss to Zanzibar.
Harambee Stars coach Francis Kimanzi is upbeat about his team’s chances after being bolstered by the arrival of Gor Mahia players Austin Odhiambo, Sylvester Owino, Alphonce Omija, and Ronney Onyango.
The quartet had stayed behind to help Gor Mahia defeat Uganda’s Kitara FC 9-8 in a penalty shootout during the Piny Luo Festival, marking the grand opening of the Siaya County Stadium.
Reflecting on their 1-1 draw against Burkina Faso, where Aboubacar Traore equalised in the 89th minute, Kimanzi emphasised the importance of discipline and composure.
“They want to fight. They are a product of hard work. If you make it from 40 players, it means you are here on merit. We need to manage our emotions when leading, and I believe we are capable of scoring,” said Kimanzi.
Forward Boniface Muchiri echoed the coach's sentiments, emphasising that the team had learned from its previous mistakes.
“We know what our fans expect from us, and we will not let them down. It will be a tough duel, but our mission is to win despite the false start,” said Muchiri.
On the other side, Kilimanjaro Stars coach Ahmed Ally is determined to turn things around.
“We are targeting a win after our initial setback. It will be a challenging match, but we are prepared,” Ally stated.
Ally will rely on key players such as Crispin Ngushi, Edgar Williams, Ayoub Lyanga, Metacha Mnata, Lameck Lawi, Nassor Saadam, Zidane Seseri, Lusanjo Mwaikenda, and Offen Chikola to lead the charge.
