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Harambee Stars have expressed confidence in beating Zimbabwe in their 2025 AFCON qualifiers in Kampala on Friday but who are the Warriors players that they will have to be wary of?
Harambee Stars take on the Warriors of Zimbabwe at Namboole Stadium in Uganda on Friday looking to begin their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers with a bang.
Kenya’s last match was an encouraging goalless draw against Ivory Coast in the World Cup qualifiers in June and they would feel the Warriors are a team they can beat given they secured a 3-1 victory against them at the Four Nations tournament in March.
However, Zimbabwe have a number of players that Kenya should look out for who can punish them if they make mistakes.
Marshall Munetsi
Harambee Stars defender Joseph Okumu should know all about Marshall Munetsi as they are team-mates at club level at Stade de Reims in the French Ligue 1.
Munetsi is an ever-present figure in the Zimbabwe starting XI and there are many reasons why. The central midfielder rarely puts a foot wrong and sets the tempo of the game.
While primarily a defensive midfielder, Munetsi likes to make forward runs and is not afraid to get into the opposition box.
He is also blessed with a great shot and South Africa discovered this the hard way when he scored a beautiful goal against them in the World Cup qualifiers in June, even though the Warriors lost 3-1.
In that game, Munetsi was a constant threat as he was given a free role, winning possession from deep and carrying the ball into dangerous areas, something Kenya will have to be wary of on Friday.
Teenage Hadebe
Recently signed by MLS side FC Cincinnati, Teenage Hadebe should be a familiar name among Harambee Stars players as he is the man who scored against them when they met at the Four Nations Tournament.
An experienced central defender, Hadebe is an asset for the Warriors in both defence and attack.
The towering centre-back is difficult to get past and will be one of the players Benson Omala will be up against as he searches for goals for Engin Firat’s men.
A left-footed centre-back, he gives Zimbabwe balance in defence and is good at clearing danger both in the air and on the ground.
Hadebe is also a major threat on set pieces as he uses his big size to win aerial balls on corners and freekicks, which is how he scored against Kenya the last time they met.
However, his temperament and tackling can be clumsy, something the Harambee Stars players can exploit just as they did in March when he was sent off.
Khama Billiat
Former Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs forward Khama Billiat has returned to his brilliant best after many had written him off.
After an uninspiring spell at Kaizer Chiefs in South Africa, Billiat returned home to sign for Yadah Stars FC, where he has regained his form, scoring nine league goals to be awarded Player of the Month for July.
His returned to form saw calls for him to rescind his international retirement and he yielded to pressure by making himself available for the national team.
Zimbabwe wasted no time in including him in the squad for the September AFCON qualifiers and Harambee Stars will be the first team he faces since his return.
Billiat is clever forward who can play both as the main striker or on the wing. His movement in and around the box is superb and he has a knack for scoring from tight spots.
It means Kenyan defenders cannot afford him space in the box given how lethal he is in those areas. Besides his clever runs that allows him to easily get behind the defence, he can also drop deep and help win possession high up the pitch for his team.
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