Following Harambee Stars’ goalless draw with Ethiopia in an African Cup of Nations qualifier on Wednesday, Sports Cabinet Secretary Rashid Achesa has taken the opportunity to urge Kenyans to get behind the national team, with the prospect of qualifying for Cameroon 2019 looming.
Harambee Stars leapfrogged Ghana in Group F to claim first sport after settling for a barren draw at the Bahir Dar stadium yesterday.
Following Sierra Leone’s shocking ban by FIFA, an ‘everything to play for’ situation was created in Group F. Now that Harambee Stars managed to hold on and collect a point, the replay scheduled for Sunday at the Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani has taken a whole new meaning.
Three more points will more or less confirm Kenya’s qualification for the AFCON.
Achesa, on his Twitter handle, called upon all football lovers to come out in large numbers on Sunday to support the national team.
“I call upon all football enthusiasts to come out in large numbers and join us in cheering on Harambee Stars this Sunday at the Kasarani Stadium in their return leg match against Ethiopia in the #AFCON2019 qualifiers match. #SimamaNaHarambeeStars,” he tweeted.
I call upon all football enthusiasts to come out in large numbers and join us in cheering on @HarambeeStars_ this Sunday at the Kasarani Stadium in their return leg match against Ethiopia in the #AFCON2019 qualifiers match. #SimamaNaHarambeeStars
— Rashid Echesa (@EchesaRashid) October 10, 2018
He also congratulated the team for the barren draw managed against Ethiopia.
“Congratulations to Harambee Stars on a game well played against Ethiopia in the #AFCON2019 qualifiers,” he said.
Kenya had started off the first half stronger but they were unable to out-do the Ethiopians who had a tough defence.
Harambee Stars’ last trip to Ethiopia was in the 2015 CHAN qualifiers where Kenya lost 2-0.
Kenya are three points away from making a return to the Africa Cup of Nations finals.
With Sierra Leone suspended, Harambee Stars, who last featured in the continental show-piece in 2004 now need to win against the Walya Antelopes in Sunday’s return leg at Kasarani to secure a ticket to next year’s finals in Cameroon with a game to spare.
Though Sebastiene Migné’s men looked a bit intimidated by the hostile away crowd, they held their nerves to pick up a vital point which they badly needed.