Kenya amputee footbal team battle Zanzibar
What you need to know:
- Should they clinch a ticket to the 2022 World Cup in Turkey, it will be their third ever appearance at the global event.
- Kenya’s first World Cup appearance was in 2014 where they finished 12th. They returned to the big stage in 2019 and emerged ninth.
National Amputee men’s football will Monday face Zanzibar in their opening match of the 2021 Cup of African Nations for Amputees Football (Canaf) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The match will kick-off at 11 am EAT at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium.
Zanzibar will be hoping to make amends after their 12-0 loss to World champions Angola on Sunday.
Regional champions Rwanda pulled out of the competition.
Kenya’s coach Willis Odhiambo said they have adapted well to the weather in Tanzania and are thus ready to face Zanzibar.
“All the players have coped well to the heavy rain here. It will be a tough match but we are ready for any challenge because we have worked and trained perfectly,’ said coach Odhiambo, whose side with clash with Angola on Tuesday.
Hosts Tanzania, Morocco, Uganda, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ethiopia, Gambia, Cameroon, Egypt, Ghana and Nigeria are the other teams taking part in the competition.
It doubles up as the qualifiers for the 2022 Amputee Football World Cup in Turkey with only the top four teams to qualify for the global championships.
Kenya’s first Canaf appearance was in 2014 as hosts. They emerged fourth in the competition that was staged at City Stadium in Nairobi.
Should they clinch a ticket to the 2022 World Cup in Turkey, it will be their third ever appearance at the global event.
Kenya’s first World Cup appearance was in 2014 where they finished 12th. They returned to the big stage in 2019 and emerged ninth.