By Tony Kipkorir
Cameroon will host Kenya’s national football team, Harambee Stars, in a crucial 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying match on Friday evening at the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium in Yaounde.
Harambee Stars will be looking to defeat the multiple continental champions for the first time in their history, having tried and failed in their previous eight matches.
In these head-to-head meetings, Cameroon won four wins and the remaining matches ended in draws.
The Indomitable Lions achieved a comfortable 3-1 win in their last meeting which took place at Moi International Sports Center (MISC), Kasarani in January 2010.
In that match, Kenya’s goal was scored by James Situma while Idrissou Mohammed and Emana Achile scored Cameroon’s goals, and Cameroon scored two goals.
Play here and get a chance to win the SportPesa Mega Jackpot of over 384 Million
Both sides enter this match with four points each, one point behind leaders Zimbabwe who have played one extra game.
Speaking ahead of the eagerly anticipated clash, Harambee Stars head coach Engin Firat admitted that they will have to perform at their best to lock up the Indomitable Lions.
“We know how difficult this is, but I think we are at a level where only the details will determine. I don’t believe it will be easy for Cameroon even if they don’t lose any players.
“But this time I am happy that only a few of our players are absent, because previously many players were absent,” he said.
Harambee Star
READ ALSO: Firat named the final Harambee Stars squad for the Cameroon duel in the 2025 AFCON qualifiers
Firat’s squad received a boost with the return of hot striker Michael Olunga who missed the last few games due to injury.
Olunga, who took over the captaincy after former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Victor Wanyama retired from international football, expressed confidence that Harambee Stars will return with something from West Africa.
“It’s been a long time since we’ve had a full squad and I believe we’re close to getting it done, but there’s still room for improvement. But all the players you know are capable, you saw in the first two games we had a lot of players who hadn’t played before but they came into the squad and contributed.
Now we have a strong team that can compete. We know the task ahead. Cameroon is one of the favorites in the group. They are strong opponents. Everyone knows their history in football, but we also have the same four points as them, so this is a game with six points up for grabs,” explained the Qatar-based player.
A win for Harambee Stars on Friday will boost their chances of qualifying for the AFCON tournament for the first time since the 2019 edition held in Egypt.
READ ALSO: SportPesa reveals the winner of the 20 Million Midweek Jackpot on Pipeline
Current Form
Cameroon: LWDWD
Kenya: WLWDW
Possible Starting Lineup
Cameroon: Onana, Tchatchoua, Ngadeu, Wooh, Nouhou, Anguissa, Baleba, Hongla, Mbeumo, Bassogog, Aboubakar
Kenya: Matasi, Nondi, One, Owino, Ouma, Odada, One, Abuya, Avire, Ayunga, Olunga
READ ALSO: SportPesa launches the revolutionary Tujiamini Initiative to nurture talent
Tujiamini is an initiative that seeks to provide a platform, including funding of up to 30 million shillings, for individual sports, teams and various talents, in a year-long campaign that will be rolled out across the country in a move aimed at inspiring a sense of pride. in Kenya’s sports and talent ecosystem.
Applicants are encouraged to submit their applications via www.tujiamini.co.ke
Related
Sports News
website focused on news and information about the world of football. This is one of the popular websites in Indonesia accessed by sports fans, especially football enthusiasts, to get quick and reliable information.
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.