Other than formality and obligation, there is little motivation for Kenya’s Harambee Stars and fellow ‘homeless’ rivals Namibia’s Brave Warriors in today’s dead-rubber 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
They share a common failure and regret of having missed out on the finals in Morocco, where fellow Group J campaigners Cameroon and Zimbabwe will line up.
Namibia will finish bottom of the pool even with a win, and Kenya will remain third no matter the outcome.
Today’s clash, Kenya’s home match, will take place at the 2010 Fifa World Cup venue, the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane, South Africa, where a 1-1 stalemate with Zimbabwe on Friday ended their qualification hopes.
Being homeless contributed to their inability to qualify for Afcon 2025, says Harambee Stars captain Michael Olunga.
Kenya mostly hosts their matches in neighbouring Uganda due to not having a Fifa-approved venues at home.
The Al Duhail target man is adamant that Kenya’s ambition to guarantee a spot in the upcoming Afcon was dashed when the national team was made to play their home games outside.
“Playing at home is undoubtedly a major source of motivation. Three years have passed since our last home game, and although we do not want to use that as an excuse, it does matter, so we should all try to make sure the stadium is prepared,” he says.
The situation is by no means unique to Kenya, with Zimbabwe and Namibia also forced to play their home fixtures abroad.
Zimbabwe’s Warriors navigated their homelessness better than the Harambee Stars and Namibia, who have called South Africa home for over four years.
Namibia’s luck appears to have run out, having qualified for the 2023 Afcon under the same conditions.
“Our vice president [Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah] said our stadium is going to be upgraded soon. It’s her duty and it’s her ambition to have our stadium available. And, hopefully next time we play it’s going to be at home,” Brave Warriors head coach Collin Benjamin says.
Namibia will next play in March 2025 when they will attempt to make a statement in the Fifa World Cup qualifiers.
However, they will need to to improve in front of goal and keep the back door impregnable to realise that ambition, starting with today’s meeting against Kenya.
“We’re going to go full out against Kenya. We definitely also don’t want to end with one point,” Benjamin says.
“Growth should come out of these matches,” he says.
“I think our growth as Namibia should still be on the cards, where we want to play and get good results so that the team can grow and the boys can grow.
“We want to be in a position where people are not looking at where we come from, but rather our ability.”
Like Namibia, Kenya’s inability to capitalise on goalscoring opportunities has been a recurring theme throughout their qualifying campaign and ultimately their undoing.
“It’s clear we have a goalscoring problem we need to find a solution to if we are to move up to a higher level,” Kenya coach Engin Firat said following the draw with Zimbabwe.
“I wish we could have solved the problem better earlier, but we couldn’t change it.”
He, however, added: “Maybe we have to realise what we have and stop dreaming. We know about the many times I have had a problem with our football.
“It’s getting worse. We need to look at reality . . . Things on the outside can always change, but our record in this tournament explains everything.”
Kick off is at 15h00.
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