The national football team Harambee Stars may have missed out on a ticket to the prestigious Fifa World Cup, but there is no room for complacency in the remaining qualifier matches.
When Stars step onto the pitch today at the 48,000-seater Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, to face Gambia in a Group “F” of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers today, every player will be out to give a good account of himself and stake a claim in coach Benni McCarthy’s long-term plans.
Since Kenya are technically out of contention for the World Cup, to be co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States of America, McCarthy says he will use the team’s four remaining qualifying matches to build a formidable side for the future.
“I need to build a strong team for the future,” said McCarthy on Monday.
“Of course , things would have been better if I was here from the start of the World Cup qualifying campaign because I would have had time to make my philosophy work and keep the team in contention for qualifying for the World Cup,” added the South African football legend.
The match set to kick-off at 4pm will mark the second meeting between the Harambee Stars and The Scorpions.
Later this evening, reigning Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) champions Cote d’Ivoire will face Burundi at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan. Kenya will then host Seychelles on Tuesday at Kasarani at 4pm.
Kenya and The Gambia first met in the fixture’s first leg on March 20 at Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, the match ending 3-3. The Gambia led twice, 2-0 and then 3-2 but McCarthy’s charges fought back to snatch the draw that marked the start of the South African’s tenure as Stars coach. McCarthy had only been appointed to the position on March 3.
Kenya’s slim hopes of qualifying for the World Cup suffered another setback on Wednesday after Gabon hammered Seychelles 4-0 at Côte d’Or National Sports Complex, Saint Pierre.
With the victory, Gabon leapfrogged Cote d’Ivoire at the top of the standings with 18 points from seven matches.
The “Elephants” are second with 16 points from six matches while Burundi, Kenya and Gambia follow in that order with 10, six and four points from six matches respectively. Seychelles are placed bottom with no point from seven matches.
At the end of the qualifiers, all the top teams in the nine groups will book a ticket to the World Cup to be held from June 11 to July 19. Four best runners-up across the groups will advance to the CAF playoff tournament with the winner earning a spot in the Fifa’s intercontinental playoff. The winner in Fifa’s intercontinental playoff will qualify for the World Cup. Kenya have yet to qualify for the World Cup.
Against The Gambia and Seychelles, Kenyans will be hoping to see the home boys carry their impressive form from the recently concluded 2024 African Nations Championship (Chan) into the World Cup qualifiers.
Making their first Chan appearance, co-host Kenya bitterly excited the competition at the quarter-final stage after losing 4-3 in post-match penalties following a 1-1 draw at the end of regular time and extra time.
At the group stage, Kenya stunned giants Morocco, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia 1-0 each and drew 1-1 with Angola. McCarthy is expected to field several of the players who featured in Chan during the World Cup qualifiers.
Of the 23-man squad for the two matches, 13 featured in the tournament while the rest, led by captain Michael Olunga, are foreign-based. Real Sociedad B forward Job Ochieng is the only player in the squad eyeing his Harambee Stars debut.
Gambia coach Johnathan McKinstry has said that he expects a tough encounter against Kenya and a “hostile environment” at Kasarani stadium. “Kenyans will come in tens of thousands to support Harambee Stars like we saw in the Chan tournament,” said the Irishman, who is familiar with Nairobi, having guided Kenyan Premier League record champions Gor Mahia from July 2022 to June 2024. McKinstry guided the team to two FKF-PL title and FKF Charity Shield.
Among the players to watch in the Gambian squad are winger Yankuba Minteh, who plays for Brighton & Hove Albion in the English Premier League, and forward Musa Barrow, who features for Saudi Arabia’s Al Taawuon FC. He previously played for Italian side Bologna and Atalanta.
