Fifa rankings: Harambee Stars drop, South Sudan gain
Harambee Stars coach Jacob "Ghost" Mulee leads his team to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on November 14, 2020 ahead of departure to Moroni for their 2021 Africa Cup of Nations Group 'G' return leg qualifier against Comoros.
What you need to know:
- Djibouti (185th), Somalia (197) and Eritrea (205) are other countries from Cecafa on the 210-team list led by Belgium followed by World champions France, Copa America winners Brazil and Gareth Southgate’s England in that order.
- Euro 2016 and Uefa Nations League winners Portugal, too, have not moved from fifth place same as sixth-ranked Spain who recently humiliated Germany 6-0.
Kenya has dropped one place to 104th globally in the latest Fifa rankings which has witnessed major changes after scores of matches played across the world during the last international break.
After rising three spots in October courtesy of 2-1 win against 2012 African champions Zambia in Nairobi, Harambee Stars lost ground due to dismal performances against minnows Comoros in back-to-back Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifying matches on November 11 and November 15.
Jacob ‘Ghost’ Mulee’s men drew 1-1 in Nairobi and then suffered a 2-1 defeat in return leg at the hands of the Islanders in Moroni in their Group “G” matches to deal a blow to their chances of going to Afcon for the second straight time.
Kenya went into those fixtures ranked 29 places above Comoros. In both matches, Kenya conceded first.
Kenya are third in the four-team group with three points from identical 1-1 draws against Egypt in Alexandria and Togo in Nairobi in November 2019 and the results against Comoros.
Seven-time African champions Egypt lead the qualification race on eight points, same as Comoros who occupy second place and the last spot for reaching Cameroon in 2022.
Togo out
The Togolese have already been eliminated after picking a solitary point from four matches.
Kenya will join Togo on the list of spectators if Mulee’s side fails to get emphatic wins against Egypt in Nairobi and Togo in Lome on March 22 and March 30 next year.
Top-ranked team from Cecafa region Uganda Cranes have slumped three positions to 79th worldwide after a shock 1-0 loss to South Sudan at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi in Group ‘B’ matches. Uganda had beaten Africa's youngest nation by the same score line a few days earlier in Kitende.
Sudan are behind Kenya in the Cecafa region at position 127 in the world after ascending one spot thanks to the 1-0 win against highly-rated Ghana in Omdurman.
Rwanda stayed fourth in the region and 133rd globally after holding Cape Verde in two goalless draws in Group “F” matches.
Tanzania dropped one place to 135th after losing 1-0 in Rades and settling for 1-1 in Dar es Salaam against Tunisia’s Carthage Eagles in Group ‘J’ matches.
Burundi alongside Equatorial Guinea are the biggest climbers. The Burundians jumped from 148 to 138 after clawing four points from Mauritania in Group ‘E’ matches.
The South Sudanese, who used Nairobi for their home match against Uganda because their national stadium in Juba is not ready, have gained five places to settle at 163rd in the world.
Djibouti (185th), Somalia (197) and Eritrea (205) are other countries from Cecafa on the 210-team list led by Belgium followed by World champions France, Copa America winners Brazil and Gareth Southgate’s England in that order.
Euro 2016 and Uefa Nations League winners Portugal, too, have not moved from fifth place same as sixth-ranked Spain who recently humiliated Germany 6-0.
