Charles Nyende
22 June 2008
Harare, Zimbabwe — Kenya take on Zimbabwe at the 23,000-capacity Rufaro Stadium on Sunday from 3 pm local time (Kenya time 4 pm) in a World Cup/Africa Cup of Nations Group Two qualifier that could very well decide how the group ends.
Kenya, in pole position with six points, will consolidate their lead with a win, but a loss will complicate matters for the them.
Only the top team in each of the 12 groups is guaranteed of qualification to the second phase of the race for South Africa /Angola with the eight best placed runners up also going through. Zimbabwe hold the second position in Group Two with four points, the same as Guinea but with a superior goal difference.
Zimbabwe's misfiring Manchester City star striker, Benjani Mwaruwari, who has yet to open his account in the current campaign, indicated the urgency of the situation for the home when he said: "If Kenya win here then it is all over for the rest of us. I do not see Namibia beating Kenya in Nairobi. We have to win this match."
Kenya coach Francis Kimanzi said the pressure will be on the Zimbabweans and he hoped that his players will relax and play with confidence. Kenya got their first feel of the artificial ground on Rufaro early Saturday morning and were due for another run in the evening.
Kimanzi declined to name his starting line up in the morning saying he first had to inform his players before releasing the list later in the day. But it has been an open secret for those in the know that the Kenyan coach would have wanted to stick with the same squad that sent Guinea and Zimbabwe packing with similar 2-0 hidings but for injury and suspension.
Goalkeeper Arnold Origi and midfielder Macdonald Mariga have injury enforced exclusions while forward Patrick Oboya is ineligible having picked two yellow cards.
Sher Karuturi goalkeeper Noah Ayuko is expected to earn his first cap while Andrew Oyombe makes a return to the team replacing Mariga.
Kevin Ochieng should earn his first starting position in the qualifiers ahead of Titus Mulama, who has failed to show the form that made him the automatic left sided midfielder for Harambee Stars over the past few years.
Robert Mambo and Austin Makacha complete the midfield formation for the visitors.
Auxerre's Dennis Oliech, with three goals to his credit thus far, once again leads the strike force and will be partnered for the first time in this campaign by the Belgian bound Mathare United striker Francis Ouma.
180 minutes without goal
The defence line of John Njoroge, Anthony Kimani, Edgar Ochieng and George Owino, not surprising, having gone 180 minutes without letting through a goal, remains in place.
Zimbabwe coach Valinhos said he will retain the same team that played in Nairobi. Mwaruwari will thus lead the home team's attack assisted by South Africa based Gilbert Mushangzhike with Joseph Ngwenya just hanging behind the two.
The whole of Harare is abuzz with the encounter and a capacity crowd is expected at Rufaro Stadium translating to a very hostile atmosphere for Kenya. But Harambee Stars can look to the match with confidence. They have lost only once in eight meetings to Zimbabwe in a Fifa-recognised international, way back on October 13, 1985 during the Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup finals.
The last time the two teams met in Harare was in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on July 1987 that ended in a one-all draw. The indications are this will be another keenly contested meeting.
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