Only six slots remain as the last round of the 2021Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers take center stage today.
Harambee Stars and Togo are all but out of contention for a place in the biennial tournament but both have an image to protect when they meet in Lome tonight; not finishing last in Group G!
The Kegue Stadium in Lome will be the venue for the dead rubber match when the two teams meet. For Harambee Stars coach Jacob ‘Ghost’ Mulee, that elusive winner in the qualifiers is what he will be looking for in his 3rd stint as the national team coach. The homeboys are still winless in Group G with four draws and a loss heading into the tie.
In the reverse fixture played in November 2019, Stars then under the tutelage of Francis Kimanzi, were destined for victory when Johanna Omolo thundered in a scorcher in the 34th minute but poor defending gifted the visitors the equalizer through defender Hakim Ouro-Sama with ten minutes to play.
Bragging rights
The permutations are quite different today as Kenya, basing from their display against Egypt, look a much better prepared team compared to the hosts who have three losses under their belt.
For Ghost it is all about preparations for the upcoming World Cup Qualifiers in which they have been pooled alongside Rwanda, Uganda and Mali.
The team will however miss the services of Kenneth Muguna(injured), Johnstone Omurwa(suspension) and Anthony Akumu(personal reasons).
“We’ll have a few changes obviously in that game. It is a game we do not want to lose because we need to finish the group in a respectable position with a respectable result. We are going to try and win. It is not going to be an easy match but judging from our performance against Egypt, if we can equal the same away then we can finish third in the group,” Ghost said.
Uganda and Malawi wrestle
Meanwhile in Malawi, Uganda Cranes will be out to finish the 2021 Afcon qualification job in Blantyre when they face hosts Malawi this afternoon.
The clash at the Kamuzu Banda stadium pits two teams with a chance to join Burkina Faso from Group B and reach the finals of Afcon to be hosted in Cameroon next year.
Uganda, second in the group with 8 points need to avoid defeat against the Flames to reach the finals while the hosts who are on seven points need maximum points to qualify.
The Cranes head into the game on the back of a goalless draw with Burkina Faso while Malawi edged South Sudan 1-0 to revive their qualification chances.
This will be the 30th meeting between the two nations – Uganda won 15, lost 6 and drawn 8.