Kenya’s Harambee Stars are set to face Namibia in a pivotal 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier on Tuesday at Orlando Stadium in Johannesburg.
This encounter marks a must-win situation for Kenya as they seek to secure their first victory in the qualification campaign.
Kenya kicked off their AFCON journey with a goalless draw against Zimbabwe at Mandela Stadium, earning a single point. Meanwhile, Namibia suffered a 1-0 defeat to Cameroon, placing them at the bottom of Group J. Cameroon, with three points, currently leads the group, while Kenya and Zimbabwe sit tied with one point each. Namibia is yet to score any points.
The stakes are high as only the top two teams from each group will qualify for the AFCON tournament, scheduled to take place in Morocco in 2025. For Kenya, victory is crucial in this second match, especially as they aim to return to the AFCON stage for the first time since 2019, when they were eliminated in the group stage.
The match officials for this crucial game will be led by referee Salisu Basheer, assisted by Grema Mohammed, Pwadutakam Samuel, and Abdulmajeed Olaide.
Kenya and Namibia last met over a decade ago in September 2013, when Harambee Stars secured a narrow 1-0 victory in the 2014 World Cup qualifiers in Nairobi. The two sides have a long-standing rivalry dating back to their first meeting in 1996, where Kenya lost 1-0 in the AFCON qualifiers. Namibia has historically dominated this fixture, winning four of their last six encounters. Kenya’s last two victories against Namibia came in 2013 and 2010, both with 1-0 scorelines.
While Kenya holds a historical win, they have struggled in recent international competitions, including a disappointing exit in the COSAFA Cup in July, despite earning six points from three matches. Similarly, Namibia enters the match following back-to-back losses, including a heavy 5-0 defeat to Angola in the COSAFA Cup final and a 1-0 loss to Cameroon in their AFCON opener.
Kenya’s head coach Engin Firat is facing several selection challenges ahead of the crucial clash. The Harambee Stars will be without their captain and star forward Michael Olunga, who is sidelined due to injury. Firat is expected to bring in fresh attacking options, with Jonah Ayunga, Benson Omala, and John Avire likely to feature up front. Defensively, Kenya will miss the services of Alphonce Omija, who is also out due to injury.
On Namibia’s side, the team will look to bounce back after a lackluster performance against Cameroon, where they struggled to create scoring opportunities. The Brave Warriors are desperate for points and will need a sharper display in front of goal to trouble Kenya.
As Kenya prepares for this crucial fixture, Cameroon will simultaneously take on Zimbabwe in the other Group J match. With only two teams set to advance from each group, the outcome of Tuesday’s fixtures could prove decisive for the teams’ AFCON aspirations.
The Harambee Stars must summon all their resilience and tactical discipline to secure a win against Namibia, who have historically been a tough opponent. Victory could place Kenya in a strong position in the group and keep their AFCON 2025 hopes alive.
