Harambee Stars Eye Win Against South Sudan in 2025 CHAN Qualifier

Kenya’s Harambee Stars are set to take on South Sudan today at the Juba International Stadium. A win over the two-legged tie will set up a final-round clash against the winner of the Djibouti versus Rwanda match-up.

Although Kenya has already secured a spot as one of the co-hosts for the 2025 CHAN tournament—alongside Uganda and Tanzania—Harambee Stars aim to showcase their strength in the qualifiers. Head coach Engin Firat has expressed confidence in the team’s ability to perform well, despite a challenging schedule and limited time to prepare.

Firat commented on the team’s preparation in yesterday’s pre match press conference, noting that players had only two light training sessions before this critical fixture, one in Nairobi and another in Juba on Saturday.

“Preparations start now; we had league matches in Kenya, so we only managed light warm-ups before traveling. To be honest, we lack sufficient preparation,” he admitted. “The schedule is demanding, especially for the players. We’ll try to come together for tomorrow’s match, but most of the players haven’t played together before, and having just one training session isn’t enough. Still, we will do our best to showcase good football.”

Despite the time constraints, Harambee Stars captain Musa Mohammed is optimistic, sharing that the team’s spirit remains high and they are ready to fight for victory.

“We are ready for the match even though we did not have enough time to prepare. I know the boys are ready to give a good account of themselves on Sunday,” he stated.

Meanwhile, South Sudan’s head coach, Nikolas Depous, is looking to leverage recent additions to his squad. He highlighted the growing talent in South Sudan’s local league, expressing confidence in his team’s ability to challenge Kenya. The two teams last met in Nairobi two years ago, with South Sudan’s Bright Stars defeating Kenya 1-0.

A victory over South Sudan in this two-leg series would allow Harambee Stars to advance to the final stage of qualifiers, where they would face the winner of the Djibouti-Rwanda showdown. That phase is scheduled for December 20-27, 2024, with the winner securing a spot in the tournament.

Harambee Stars Squad in South Sudan

Goalkeepers:
– Byrne Odhiambo (Bandari)
– Farouk Shikalo (KCB)
– Ibrahim Wanzala (Kakamega Homeboyz)

Defenders:
– Musa Mohammed (Kenya Police FC)
– Sylvester Owino (Gor Mahia)
– Alphonce Omija (Gor Mahia)
– Geoffrey Ochieng (Gor Mahia)
– Bernard Ondiek (Posta Rangers)
– Brian Eshihanda (Kakamega Homeboyz)
– Daniel Sakari (Kenya Police FC)

Midfielders:
– Andres Odhiambo (Kariobangi Sharks)
– Vincent Owino (Nairobi City Stars)
– Marvin Nabwire (Kenya Police FC)
– Clifford Otieno (Nairobi City Stars)
– Ronney Onyango (Gor Mahia)
– Austine Odhiambo (Gor Mahia)
– Issa Lumumba (Ulinzi Stars)
– Boniface Muchiri (Ulinzi Stars)
– Chrispine Erambo (Tusker FC)
– Matthias Isogol (Mara Sugar)

Forwards:
– Victor Omune (AFC Leopards)
– Sydney Lokale (AFC Leopards)
– Mathew Tegisi (Shabana)
– Patrick Otieno (KCB)

The match kicks off at 4:00 PM EAT