Harambee Stars are optimistic that Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) decision on the fate of Sierra Leone will favour them following the postponement of this weekend’s 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against the West Africans.
Stars were set to face the Leone Stars at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani on Sunday with a win enough to guarantee captain Victor Wanyama and his teammates qualification to next year’s Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in 15 years.
But Football Kenya Federation announced on Sunday night that CAF had called off the match.
Besides qualification, the cancellation has postponed the Sh50 million government reward to the team as promised by Deputy President William Ruto upon qualification, besides training allowances and match winning bonuses which would have been of help especially to the local based players.
Sierra Leone are currently serving an indefinite ban from all football activities imposed on the country by FIFA due to government interference. If CAF confirms Sierra Leone will no longer participate in the qualifiers, Harambee Stars will be through to the Africa Cup of Nations as one of the top two teams in Group “F” which will now have three namely Kenya, Ghana and Ethiopia.
At this point of the campaign, Kenya sits pretty at the top of the four team group with seven points. Ethiopia are second with four, Ghana third with three and Sierra Leone last with a similar tally as the Black Stars.
If CAF suspends Sierra Leone, all points gained from them will be deducted from the remaining teams.
Therefore, Kenya will remain top with seven points from three matches while Ghana will be second on three points from two matches. Ethiopia will be bottom with one point – minus the three points gained in the 1-0 home win against Leone Stars – from three matches. Should Ghana pick maximum points away to Ethiopia and at home against Kenya, they will take their tally to nine and win the group.
Kenya meanwhile will remain second even if they lose to Black Stars and Ethiopia beat Kwesi Appiah’s charges to take their tally to four.
“Qualification is the ultimate aim,” said Stars goalkeeper Patrick Matasi who had already flown to Nairobi from his Addis Ababa base ahead of the Sierra Leone game.
Matasi currently plies his trade at top Ethiopian side St Georges.
“So if this decision will help us to qualify no problem even though my wish would have been to play that match, win and qualify,” added the custodian who has kept three consecutive clean sheets in as many qualifiers.
And in a related development, Stars vice-captain Musa Mohammed, who plies his trade in Zambia, received the news of postponement a day before he boarding a flight from Ndola to Nairobi.
“We have to respect this decision ad hope the authorities award us the three points because the problem is not on our side,” said the Nkana centre half.
Sierra Leone forfeited back-to-back qualification matches against Ghana last month and with the Harambee Stars match not taking place, they now look likely to face suspension from the competition.
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