Olunga, Firat confident Harambee Stars will finish on a high

Harambee Stars captain Michael Olunga is optimistic that Kenya will finish their 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifying campaign on a high by winning their two remaining matches.

Harambee Stars, who are out of contention to reach the final round of the qualifiers following back-to-back defeats against Mali, play away to rivals Uganda on Thursday before hosting Rwanda at the Nyayo National Stadium four days later.

"Although we don’t stand a chance of qualifying for the World Cup, we are going to represent Kenya. So, we have our nation to make proud," Olunga, who has scored Kenya's only goal of this qualifying campaign, said on Monday.

"We are also trying to come back from the setback we suffered against Mali. We will try to be much more positive in these two encounters and finish on a high," he added.

Finishing on a high note will prevent Harambee Stars from setting an unwanted record - Harambee Stars have never concluded a Fifa World Cup qualifying without a win in the round-robin stage.

Qualification for Qatar 2022 would have seen the 27-year-old make his Fifa World Cup debut in familiar territory.

Olunga plays his club football for Al Duhail in the Qatar Stars League. With that opportunity lost, he and his Harambee Stars are gearing up to spoil the party for the Uganda Cranes.

"Every time we play against Uganda and our other neighbours, it is always a difficult encounter. They still have a chance to progress but, it will not be an easy game for them. We are going there to give our level best and finish on a high," Olunga insisted.

His sentiments were echoed by Harambee Stars Turkish tactician Engin Firat who wants the team not to to treat the matches as a mere formality.

"I want a healthy national team with a mix of experienced and young players. The team understands my objective and they have to play successful football in these last two qualifiers so that we can win," said the 51-year-old tactician.

He also disclosed that defender Joash Onyango, Brian Mandela, Joseph Okumu, Boniface Muchiri and Masud Juma  will not be available for the two matches.

Onyango has decided to stick with his team Simba SC of Tanzania, while Mandela, Muchiri,  Juma and Okumu are injured.

Victory on Thursday will see Harambee Stars winning away to Uganda for the first time since a 2-1 friendly win on May 26, 1996. Since then, Kenya has drawn five times and lost four matches in nine subsequent visits.

The five drawn matches include the 0-0 stalemate at Namboole in October 2011 during the 2012 Afcon qualifiers.

Harambee Stars, then coached by Zedekiah "Zico" Otieno, put on a defensive masterclass to deny Bobby Williamson's high-flying Cranes a first Afcon appearance in four decades.

Uganda's current coach Milutin Sredojević must be aware of that history and, Ugandans will be hoping that his game plan will dim the sporadic glitter of the Harambee Stars.

Defeat, or a draw, to Kenya, coupled with Mali winning away to Rwanda, will reduce Uganda's last group game against Mali to a dead rubber encounter.

Harambee Stars are third in Group E with two points from draws with Uganda and Rwanda.  

Uganda is second with eight points. Mali leads the group with 10 points. They play away to Rwanda before hosting Uganda in Morocco.

Rwanda lies at the bottom of the group with one point.