Harambee Stars mauled by Indomitable Lions in 2025 Afcon qualifier
Harambee Stars Coach Engin Firat (center) monitors his players during a training session at Kenya Police Sacco Stadium in Nairobi on October 9, 2024.
What you need to know:
- Defeat leaves Kenya in third place in Group J with 4 points from three match.
- Cameroon leads the group with 7 points, followed by Zimbabwe on 5 points.
Kenya’s campaign for a place in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations has suffered a major blow following a 4-1 thrashing by Cameroon on Friday night in Yaounde.
The hosts, under the tutelage of Marc Brys, were the better side in a game Harambee Stars struggled to keep possession.
The Indomitable Lions took the lead in the seventh minute courtesy of captain Vincent Aboubakar's penalty.
Cameroon doubled their lead in the 37th minute when defensive midfielder Martin Hongla beat Patrick Matasi with a shot that the 36-year-old custodian could have saved.
Four minutes later captain Michael Olunga reduced the deficit for Harambee Stars by heading home a free kick.
But then Kenya quickly conceded a third goal which was scored by Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo on the stroke of half time.
In the second half, Cameroon picked up from where they had left with Christian Bassogog hammering the final nail in Kenya’s coffin in the 55th minute.
The heavy loss leaves Kenya in third place in Group J with 4 points from three matches.
Cameroon leads the group with 7 points, followed by Zimbabwe on 5 points. Namibia remains rooted at the bottom of the group with no point.
On Thursday, Zimbabwe beat hosts Namibia 1-0 to register their first win of the campaign.
Kenya and Cameroon will clash again in the reverse fixture on Monday at Nelson Mandela Stadium in Kampala, Uganda.
The top two teams in each of the 12 groups will progress to the biennial continental showpiece that will be hosted by Morocco.
