A visiting Harambee Stars, Kenya men’s national football team, gained its first away victory last night by beating the Brave Warriors of Namibia, 2—1, at Orlando Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Harambee Stars — bottom of Namibia in FIFA world ranking of 210 national sides at position 108 — had only previously won two away matches in their recent history in Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualification games: a 2-1 victory over Togo in 2021 and a 1-0 win when they beat Cape Verde way back in 2002, but they added to that on Tuesday night after John Avire and Duke Abuya scored to beat their 98th-ranked opponents.
John Avire scored a goal for Harambee Stars in the 58th minute on a free kick. Kenya’s other goal came at 76′, when Awasi-born Erick Otieno, a left back, broke past Namibian defenders and passed to Duke Abuya, who took the shot. The goal by Namibia came in the closing stages at the fourth minute of additional time on a shot by Deon Hotto Kavendji.
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With a total of four points after this win over Namibia and a barren draw when it played Zimbabwe in their opening match, Kenya is now on top in its AFCON 2025 qualifiers group with four out of six games to play, two against five-time AFCON winners Indomitable Lions of Cameroon and return matches against Zimbabwe and Namibia at home.
“I’m glad we managed to secure this win today. We want to win all six of our games to maintain our hopes, as I mentioned,” the Harambee Stars coach, Engin Firat, said after the win.
The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualification matches are organised by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to determine the 24 teams that will contest the 35th edition of Africa’s biggest sporting event, the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, between December 21, 2024, and January 18, 2025.
Harambee Stars starting 11: Goalkeeper Byrne Odhiambo, Amos Nondi, Erick Ouma, Joseph Okumu, Sylvester Owino, Antony Akumu, Rooney Onyango, Richard Odada, John Avire, Duke Abuya and Jonah Ayunga.
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