Kenya ended a 15-year wait to qualify for the 2019 AFCON Finals, which takes place in Egypt from Friday 21st June to Friday 19th July, after finishing second in Group F below Ghana in qualification.
The 2019 edition of the continental showpiece will mark Kenya’s sixth appearance in the competition, having featured in 1972, 1988, 1990, 1992 and 2004.
The Harambee Stars have never progressed to the knockout stage of the competition in their five previous appearances.
Harambee Stars Squad
Stars, who have been in a residential camp in Paris France for the last 19 days will embark on a four-day acclimatisation routine before they kick off their Group ‘C’ campaign with a clash against former champions Algeria on Sunday.
While in Europe, Stars played two friendly matches where they dimmed Madagascar 1-0 in France before surrendering a 1-0 lead in the dying minutes to draw 1-1 against DR Congo in Madrid, Spain.
The team will be captained by Spurs midfielder Victor Wanyama.Speaking to the media in France, he admitted Kenya are in a tough group for next week’s Africa Cup of Nations.
“It is a tough group when you look at our opponents. Algeria have been to tournament many times, Senegal are also tough while it will be a derby against Tanzania.
“So we have a 50/50 chance to come out of the group and I want to ask the fans to rally behind the team.
“We have had good preparations and this gives us confidence to face our opponents in Egypt and get good results from the tournament.”
Harambee Stars’ fixtures/date & time.
Stars are in Group C alongside Algeria, Senegal and neighbors Tanzania. They will open campaign against Algeria June 23.
Stars second match will be against neighbours Taifa Stars on June 27 before winding up the preliminary round against Senegal on July 1.
FIFA Rankings
Ahead of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), national football team Harambee Stars has climbed up three places in the latest FIFA Ranking released June 14 to sit 105 with 1207 points. Harambee Stars are in Paris, France for a three-week boot camp as they prepare to make a comeback to the Cup of Nations for the first time in 15 years.
Harambee Stars opponents in AFCON Group C sees Sadio Mane’s Senegal top the African continent and position 22 worldwide having rose one place while Algeria occupy ninth pace in Africa and 68th in the globe.
Kenya’s other opponent neighbors Tanzania sit at 131 in the world and 35th in Africa, 12 places below Harambee Stars.
Teams to watch
Egypt and Senegal are among the six top seeds with defending champions Cameroon, Morocco, Nigeria and Tunisia.
Egypt
Hosts Egypt are slight favorites to become champions a record-extending eighth time. There have been four Cup of Nations tournaments in Egypt with the home team winning three while finishing third in the other. The Pharaohs will rely heavily on serial scorer Salah, whose penalty set up Liverpool to win the UEFA Champions League final against Tottenham Hotspur this month.
Senegal
Another star who helped Liverpool conquer Europe was Mane, the stand-out performer in a Senegal side aiming to lift the trophy for the first time after finishing 2002 runners-up.
Morrocco
Were the finals staged anywhere except Egypt, Morocco would probably be favorites to succeed again 43 years after their lone success. Their French coach, Herve Renard, is the only one to win the tournament with different countries, guiding no-hopers Zambia to glory in 2012 and repeating the feat with Ivory Coast three years later. The Moroccan stars include winger Hakim Ziyech, part of the Ajax side that stunned Real Madrid and Juventus in the Champions League before a dramatic loss to Tottenham.
Cameroon
Cameroon have won three of the last 10 Cup of Nations tournaments and Indomitable Lions legend Roger Milla says “there is no reason why they cannot retain the trophy in Egypt”.
Nigeria
Nigeria will hope for goals from Arsenal attacker Alex Iwobi while teamwork is the mantra of Tunisia, coached by star 1980s France midfielder Alain Giresse.
www.instagram.com/megasportkenya/
www.twitter.com/Megasportkenya/
MegaSport Kenya🇰🇪 