Goalkeeper Brian Bwire and defender Daniel Sakari have landed in South Africa, joining the Harambee Stars squad as they gear up for two high-stakes 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.
The Stars face their final Group J challenges against Zimbabwe this Friday and Namibia next Tuesday at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane, South Africa. Bwire steps in for Ian Otieno, while Sakari replaces Adam Wilson, who will miss the qualifiers on compassionate grounds following a family bereavement.
Harambee Stars currently sit third in Group J with 4 points. Cameroon leads with 10 points, Zimbabwe has 8, while Namibia trails with none. To keep their AFCON dream alive, Kenya must secure all points in these matches. Yet, even with back-to-back wins, Kenya’s qualification depends on Cameroon defeating or drawing against Zimbabwe in the final group game next week.
Namibia’s head coach Collin Benjamin has promised a tough showdown. Though his Brave Warriors are out of the competition, he says they will “play for pride” and make the contest challenging for all.
Kenya started their campaign with a goalless draw against Zimbabwe and clinched a 2-1 win over Namibia. However, coach Engin Firat’s side hit roadblocks in October, losing home and away to group leaders Cameroon.
The Harambee Stars now look to bounce back and fight for a chance to compete in Morocco next year.
