Kenya’s Harambee Stars suffered a significant blow in their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualification campaign following a crushing 4-1 defeat to Cameroon in a crucial Group J match played at the Stade Omnisports in Yaoundé on Friday evening.
The loss, Kenya’s first in the qualifying series, saw them drop to third place in Group J with four points, while Cameroon surged to the top of the group with seven points after three matches.
Zimbabwe also capitalized on Kenya’s defeat, leapfrogging them into second place with five points after a narrow 1-0 victory over Namibia.
The match began in disheartening fashion for Kenya when Cameroon’s captain, Vincent Aboubakar, opened the scoring in the 8th minute.
The veteran striker calmly converted a penalty after a handball incident inside the Kenyan box, sending goalkeeper Patrick Matasi the wrong way.
Things went from bad to worse for Matasi when he fumbled a routine save in the 39th minute, allowing Martin Hongla’s direct shot to slip through his fingers, gifting Cameroon a 2-0 lead.
Kenya briefly sparked hope of a comeback when returning captain Michael Olunga pulled a goal back just two minutes later with a clinical finish. However, Cameroon quickly restored their two-goal cushion before halftime.
Christian Bassogog, who had been a constant menace on the left flank, outpaced Rooney Onyango and delivered a dangerous low cross that found Bryan Mbeumo. The Brentford forward made no mistake, netting his first goal of the qualifiers to make it 3-1.
In a bid to stem the tide, Harambee Stars coach Engin Firat introduced Joseph Okumu at the start of the second half, replacing Amos Nondi.
Despite the tactical switch, Cameroon’s relentless pressure continued. Bassogog, again pivotal in attack, set up Hongla for his second goal, sealing a 4-1 victory for the Indomitable Lions in the 64th minute.
With the defeat, Kenya faces an uphill battle in their quest to qualify for the 2025 AFCON. The Stars will need to regroup quickly as they prepare to host Cameroon in the return leg on Monday at Mandela National Stadium in Uganda.
Firat’s men will be looking for nothing short of a win to reignite their qualification hopes.
