The Harambee Stars, Kenya’s men’s national football team, secured their first away victory of the campaign last night by defeating Namibia’s Brave Warriors 2–1 at Orlando Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Despite being ranked 108th by FIFA compared to Namibia’s 98th position, Harambee Stars delivered a strong performance. This victory marks just their third away win in recent history for Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualification, with previous away wins including a 2-1 victory over Togo in 2021 and a 1-0 win against Cape Verde in 2002. John Avire scored for Kenya with a free kick in the 58th minute, and Duke Abuya added another goal in the 76th minute after a pass from left back Erick Otieno. Namibia’s sole goal came in the fourth minute of added time from Deon Hotto Kavendji.
With this win, Harambee Stars now lead their AFCON 2025 qualifiers group with four points from two matches, having previously drawn 0-0 with Zimbabwe. They have four games remaining, including fixtures against the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon and home matches against Zimbabwe and Namibia.
“I’m pleased with this win,” said Harambee Stars coach Engin Firat. “We aim to win all our remaining games to keep our hopes alive.”
The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), will determine the 24 teams that will compete in the tournament, set to be held in Morocco from December 21, 2024, to January 18, 2025.
