Charles Nyende
30 September 2008
Nairobi — The World Cup/Africa Cup of Nations qualifier between Group Two leaders Kenya and Guinea will be played on October 12 after all.
Kenya Football Federation secretary Sam Obingo said the match had reverted to the original date that was decided by the Guinean football administration after Fifa scrapped plans to have all matches in this round played simultaneously.
"Guinea called us to say the match is on October 12. We were to play at 1 pm which would have been torture had Fifa gone on with their plans to have the matches played at the same time," Obingo said.
Fifa scrapped the same time kick off plan after some participating countries objected to playing in high daytime temperatures.
The world soccer body had originally ordered that 22 matches begin a 1 pm GMT on October 11 to avoid any side having any advantage.
Obingo said Kenya will continue with their preparations and travel plans. The team is expected to leave by October 10 for Conakry.
Kenya head the group with 10 points and a draw will guarantee them automatic qualification to the next round.
Under the Fifa adopted rule of canceling out the results of the second and last fourth places teams in the group to cater for the pools with three nations, Kenya are still guaranteed of one of the eight places reserved for best runners up should they lose.
Mathematics
But this is on assumption Namibia will remain bottom of the group. Namibia can displace Zimbabwe from third place if they win in Windhoek by three or more goals.
This scenario will complicate the mathematics for a second placed Kenya. The 12 group winners and eight best runners-up advance to the final phase of qualification next year.
Nigeria, Benin and Cameroon have already qualified with a match to spare. Harambee Stars have, meanwhile, stepped up their training at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.
A squad of 18 local based players are in attendance including first time Harambee Stars call up Christopher Liswa of Western Kenya.
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