Harambee Stars to renew rivalry with Cameroon in 2025 AFCON qualifiers

Harambee Stars players during Open training Session for the senior national team at Utalii Grounds on March 19, 2024. The team is preparing ahead of the upcoming Four Nations tournament in Malawi. [Stafford Ondego, Standard]

Kenya’s Harambee Stars are set to rekindle their rivalry with Cameroon in the quest for a spot in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

The draw for the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco 2025 qualifiers was held in Johannesburg on Thursday, and it placed Kenya in Group J alongside Cameroon, Namibia, and Zimbabwe.

This draw sets up a thrilling battle, as the Harambee Stars seek to make their mark on the continental stage once more.

The qualifiers, which will start in September 2024 and end in November 2024, will see 48 African nations compete for a place in the 35th edition of the biennial tournament.

The top two teams from each of the 11 groups, excluding hosts Morocco who are already assured of participation, will earn their spots in the prestigious event.

Cameroon, a powerhouse in African football, will undoubtedly be the toughest challenge for Kenya in the group.

The Indomitable Lions have a rich history in AFCON, having won the tournament five times, with their most recent triumph in 2017.

The last encounter between Kenya and Cameroon in the AFCON qualifiers was in 2019, when the two sides played out a 1-1 draw in Nairobi, followed by a narrow 2-1 victory for Cameroon in Yaoundé. This time, the Harambee Stars will be eager to turn the tables.

The Harambee Stars will rely heavily on key players such as Michael Olunga, the prolific striker who has been in sensational form for his Qatari club Al-Duhail, and Richard, whose pro experience will be crucial in the midfield.

Namibia and Zimbabwe, the other teams in Group J, are not to be underestimated either. Namibia has shown significant improvement in recent years, and Zimbabwe, despite facing internal challenges, always brings a competitive edge to the qualifiers.

The road to Morocco 2025 will be an arduous one, but Kenya's Harambee Stars are determined to shine on the continental stage.

The much-coveted AFCON trophy will be up for grabs once again, and the competition promises to be as fierce as ever.

Groups:

Group A: Tunisia, Madagascar, Comoros, Gambia
Group B: Morocco, Gabon,Central Africa Republic, Lesotho 
Group C: Egypt, Cape Verde, Mauritania, Botswana
Group D: Nigeria, Benin Libya, Rwanda 
Group E: Algeria, Equatorial Guinea, Togo, Liberia
Group F: Ghana, Angola, Sudan, Niger
Group G: Cote d'Ivoire, Zambia, Sierra Leone, Chad
Group H: DR Congo, Guinea, Tanzania, Ethiopia
Group I: Mali, Mozambique, Guinea Bissau, Eswatini
Group J: Cameroon, Namibia, Kenya, Zimbabwe
Group K: South Africa, Uganda, Congo, South Sudan
Group L: Senegal, Burkina Faso, Malawi, Burundi