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The Nairobian

If only Harambee Stars could make our dreams come true...

Football

By Sammy Kitula | Nov 15, 2024

**Kenya's Eric Johana Omondi (left) fight for possession with Zimbabwe's Khama Billiat in first leg qualifier on September 06.** [Courtesy, Standard]

The big screen inside The Peter Mokaba Stadium is brightly beaming; Kenya 2 Zimbabwe 0.

That's the final score of the African Cup of Nations Group J qualifier inside the magnificent venue, in Polokwane, South Africa.

And with that result, national football team Harambee Stars is on the verge of qualifying for the 2025 Afcon in Morocco. They now need to beat Namibia on Tuesday for them to inch closer to achieving that feat.

It was joy and jubilation for the Kenyans, but misery for the Zimbabweans. Images of The Warriors players furrowing their brows while others covered their faces with their jerseys in shame will remain a constant reminder of how not to take Harambee Stars for granted.

Having won one of their last four matches before this fixture, there is every reason for Harambee Stars head coach Engin Fırat and his boys to have some time and make merry.

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For Kenya, victory has been hard to come by. That time has come for the boys though. Let's make merry and be happy. After all, weeping endures but for a night. For Kenya, those night have been endless. Winning and Kenya had not been synonymous. Quite dissimilar.

When coming up against the formidable Cameroon last month, Kenya lost in both matches; 4-1 on the road and 1-0 in their return match in Kampala, Uganda.

So, there was no way Kenya was going to lose this tie, none at all.

For a team that had beaten Kenya just once in 12 previous encounters, Harambee Stars knew what was expected of them and they delivered with precision.

Granted, coming into this game, Zimbabwe were unbeaten in the qualifiers. They had drawn against Kenya and Cameroon, before completing back-to-back wins against Namibia.

All that counted for nothing when they came face-to-face with the determined Kenyans. A goal each from Michael Olunga and John Avire was what the expectant Kenyan fans had been waiting for.

Coach Fırat tapped his players’ shoulders, patted others’ heads, gave a high-five to a few and to others, he just glanced at them. Proud coach this.

After his playing unit gathered in a circle for their post-match prayers, Fırat stood a few metres away; alone. Drowned in thoughts and probably trying to reflect on what a night this was.

For the Zimbabweans, the mortification was telling. What they endured inside that almost-empty stadium will no doubt make them not to think of football anytime soon. All that might have been on their minds was to take a walk, never to come back to African football again.

It's an experience only comparable to chewing on small but sharp pieces of broken glass. It was that painful. A collapse that was quite unpurified, pulping and excruciating.

Unlike before, this time round, the Kenyans were clinical in every department. Marvelous in every definition. They did what top teams do; hunt down and subdue an adversary.

Every ingredient for a splendid match was there for all to behold...only that this time, this was a dream of an ardent Harambee Stars fan. Just a dream.

Could Kenya turn this dream into reality when they play Zimbabwe tonight at 7pm?