Harambee Stars play Russia in historic fixture

This would easily have been a truly historic match but for the sports cloud hanging over Russia.
Following Russia's military aggression in Ukraine, Fifa suspended the 2018 World Cup hosts from international football in February last year.

So technically, Kenya's friendly international match against Russia on Friday from 7pm (Kenyan time) at the 7,420-capacity Mardan Sports Complex in Antalya will not be officially included in the Fifa records.

Nevertheless, it will be a historical fixture with Harambee Stars playing a European nation for only the second time. The first was in 1983 when Kenya held Switzerland to a barren draw in Nairobi.

It will be the first time that Harambee Stars are clashing with a European nation, a leading football one at that, in Europe.

Russia have regularly participated in the quadrennial World Cup and are consistently in the top quarter of the Fifa world rankings.

Even after being suspended from the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, Russia lie 39th in the Fifa rankings compared to a distant 109 for Kenya.

Russia’s best ever world ranking is third in 1996 while Kenya has a faraway position 68 achieved in 2008 to boast of.

Russia are unbeaten in their last seven fixtures, edging out Cameroon 1-0 in their latest outing last Thursday.

Kenya will want to bounce back from their embarrassing 1-0 loss in Nairobi to minnows South Sudan on September 12. 

Kenya’s coach Engin Firat is using the friendly as part of his preparation for the 2026 World qualifiers which kicks off with Stars playing Gabon away on November 13.

Rising 19-year-old striker Moses Shumah will be relishing playing an anticipated strong Russian squad. Shumah, who has bagged three league goals for Kakamega Homeboyz this season says as a young player getting a chance to face Russia will be a great honour.

“I feel great to have made it to the national team and it will be a great milestone in my career to play against Russia, a football powerhouse," said Shumah on phone from Antalya.

The young striker made his debut for Stars in the Four Nations Tournament held on June in Mauritius.
He scored the lone goal when Kenya beat Pakistan in the tournament and also featured in a 1-0 loss to Mauritius on June 18. 

Shumah was also fielded in the win against Qatar and loss to South Sudan Last month.

Firat has already said the national team needs to play high calibre matches to give players like Shumah experience ahead of the World Cup qualifiers. 

Firat says young players like Shumah and 21-year-old Gor Mahia right back Rooney Onyango make part of his plans for the future.

Most of Russia players feature in their local leagues for world renown clubs like CSKA Moscow, Lokomotiv Moscow and FC Rostov with only a few in top European leagues.

Russia’s goal in their friendly win against Cameroon was netted by well-built forward Fyodor Chalov who plies his trade with CSKA Moscow.

Forward Ivan Sergeyevich Oblyakov also impressed in the match and Kenya will better be warned to be wary of him.

Under experienced local coach, Valery Karpin, Russia head into the game as odds-on favourites.
Custodian Matvei Safonov plays for Anastasiya Kazachyok while 18-year-old forward Sergei Maksimovich, the youngest in the Russian squad features for Lokomotiv Moscow.

Midfielder Daler Adyamovich Kuzyayev is one of the few foreign-based players currently in the French Ligue 1 with Le Havre. 

Kenya stunned Qatar 2-1 in an international friendly match in Doha on September 7 but it may be asking too much of Harambee Stars to steal a victory against Russia on Monday.

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