Harambee Stars will be looking to revive their World Cup qualification hopes when they visit the Gambia on Thursday in what is coach Benni McCarthy’s first game in charge.
Benni McCarthy’s first match as Harambee Stars boss is finally here.
The South African legend will take charge of his first game with Kenya when Harambee Stars play away to The Gambia on Thursday March 20, with the match set to take place at the iconic Alassane Ouattara Ebimpe Olympic Stadium in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
The Gambia are hosting the match in the Ivory Coast as they are among nations that lack an approved stadium back home.
Preview
McCarthy will be looking to begin his reign with a win as Harambee Stars are in dire straits after just one win and a draw.
Kenya beat Seychelles 5-0 in November 2023, days after starting their 2026 World Cup qualification campaign with a 2-1 loss away to Gabon, before respective 1-1 and goalless draws with Burundi and Ivory Coast followed.
Kenyan fans have been encouraged to buy tickets in large numbers to help push Harambee Stars during their 2026 World Cup qualifier against Gabon at Nyayo Stadium on Sunday.
That leaves them on five points from four matches with the Ivorians top with 10 points, Gabon second on nine while Burundi have seven.
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Harambee Stars must therefore beat both The Gambia and Gabon to revive their hopes as that would see them end the March 2025 qualification phase with 11 points.
Head-to-head
This will be the first meeting between Harambee Stars and the Scorpions and both sides will back themselves to emerge with a win that will greatly boost their chances.
While Kenya have won one and drawn two, The Gambia have one win, secured in Johnathan McKinstry’s first match last June, with three losses which leaves them on three points from four games.
The home side come into this match on the back of two wins, three draws and a loss in their last six matches across all competitions and what will worry Kenya is that one of those victories was away to Tunisia in the 2025 AFCON qualifiers in November 2024.
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Harambee Stars goalkeeper trainer Moeneeb Josephs has hit out at the South African giants for not showing respect and sportsmanship following their recent league loss.
Kenya, meanwhile, have one win, four draws and a loss during that period with three of those matches coming from the Mapinduzi Cup in Zanzibar in January.
Time & where to watch
The highly-awaited match will kick off at 10pm Kenyan time at the Alassane Ouattara Ebimpe Olympic Stadium in Abidjan.
Kenyan fans can watch the match live on KBC TV and the fixture is also among those that will be broadcast live on SuperSport TV.
DStv customers can watch the match on SuperSport PSL and Africa 1 channels, while GOtv subscribers can catch Harambee Stars in action on GO Africa 1.
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