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Engin Firat has called on fans to pray as Kenya fights for AFCON qualification after setbacks.
Shandala kurabah, tehalomai, sarakothi, rabohosai, lemikhata! Speaking in tongues might be Harambee Stars' final hope as head coach Engin Firat has turned to divine intervention to aid Kenya’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualification campaign.
After a promising start, Kenya’s path to the continental tournament has been riddled with setbacks following back-to-back losses against five-time champions Cameroon.
Kenya, currently sitting third in Group J, has seen its qualification hopes take a significant hit after a 4-1 drubbing away in Douala, followed by a narrow 1-0 defeat in Kampala, their adopted "home" ground.
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14:03 - 15.10.2024
Should Engin Firat stay or go? The bitter aftertaste of Harambee Stars double defeat to Cameroon
Firat has come under fire after back-to-back losses, leaving fans questioning his future as Harambee Stars' head coach.
Now, the Turk tactician has appealed to Kenyans across the country to unite in prayer hoping that divine intervention will revive their dwindling chances.
“I want to ask Kenyans around the country to pray for us, the qualification campaign is not in our hands now, but we cannot give up at this stage,” Firat told Flashscore.
“We will continue to fight for the ticket until the end of the group matches in November.”
Despite the challenging circumstances, Firat remains determined to guide his team through their remaining fixtures against Zimbabwe and Namibia.
Kenya had kicked off their campaign with a 0-0 draw against Zimbabwe before edging out Namibia 2-1 placing them at the top of the group alongside Cameroon.
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06:02 - 16.10.2024
Former Gor Mahia coach uncovers why Harambee Stars fell short against Cameroon in crucial AFCON qualifiers
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But their fortunes quickly changed after Cameroon dominated their encounters pushing Kenya to third place with just four points.
“We had set the target to qualify, and the target is still there. We will fight to win our remaining two matches and wait to see what happens in the other games. It’s a tough situation, but I know my players are fighters, and with the support of the fans, we will try to achieve the ticket,” Firat explained.
Firat admitted that Zimbabwe’s resurgence with two consecutive wins against Namibia has made the situation even more complicated for Kenya. Zimbabwe moved to second place with eight points, leapfrogging Kenya, who are now four points adrift.
Namibia, who were expected to be strong contenders after participating in the 2023 AFCON, have struggled to register any points in the qualifiers.
“With Zimbabwe beating Namibia again, it put our qualification hopes in a tight corner,” Firat conceded.
“At the start of the campaign, no one thought that Namibia would lose every match, but now that’s the reality of our group. We need to focus and get a positive outcome in the remaining matches against Zimbabwe and Namibia.”
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05:08 - 15.10.2024
Calculators out! What do Harambee Stars need to qualify for AFCON 2025?
Harambee Stars face a tough road to AFCON 2025 qualification with crucial matches ahead and tight margins.
Kenya faces an uphill task with only two matches remaining as they will travel to Zimbabwe on November 11th before wrapping up their campaign against Namibia on November 19th.
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