AFCON 2025: Kenya need to summon Fabsich's spirit ahead of Cameroon tie

Godknows Murwira (L) of Zimbabwe challenge Austine Odhiambo Otieno of Harambee Stars of Kenya during their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers Group J first leg match at Nelson Mandela Stadium in Kampala, Uganda on September 06, 2024. [Courtesy]

Kenya is preparing to play Cameroon in Group J of 2025 Afcon qualifiers this month. This is a tricky bend in the qualifiers river. The two sides will play two matches over three days which always go ahead to shape the group’s final standing. Kenya needs to get at least four points to be sure of a qualification spot.

The two countries sit at the top of the group with Kenya leading for scoring two goals against Cameroon’s one but they are tied on four points and a plus one goal difference. The first two teams will get direct qualification; the other countries in the group are Zimbabwe and Namibia.

Cameroon derived its name from the Wouri River which was renamed Rio dos Camarões (“River of Prawns”) by Portuguese explorers in the fifteenth century. Meanwhile, Kenya derived its name supposedly from Mt. Kirinyaga which Kambas called “Kinyaa” – ostrich. This is because the snowcapped mountain resembled an ostrich. This is a match between prawns and ostriches who have opted to call themselves stars and lions respectively.

Cameroon is classified as a Francophone country but it was first a protectorate of Germany until World War One. After the war, it was divided into French and British protectorates. The British took the strip that bordered Nigeria. In 1961, they held a referendum and the northern side of the protectorate opted to be part of Nigeria, the southerners chose Francophone Cameroon. Kenya’s GDP is ranked seventh in Africa while Cameroon is in position fifteen. About sixty percent of Cameroonians live in urban centres compared to Kenya’s thirty percent. In football, Cameroon ranks way above Kenya.

In the Italy - 1990 World Cup qualifiers, Ivory Coast, Algeria, Cameroon, Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria and Zaire were the eight best ranked teams in Africa. This was according to Fifa. They did not play in the first round of the qualifiers. Cameroon went on to reach the quarter-finals of the World Cup. As at the seeding for 2025 Afcon qualifiers, Cameroon was ranked ninth in Africa while Kenya was 26th. Kenya has fallen down the pecking order in African football.

Kenya first played Cameroon at the 1972 Afcon, which Cameroon hosted. Kenya played one all draw against Togo and Mali but lost 2-1 to the hosts in the opening match. Captain and coach Jonathan Niva scored Kenya’s consolation goal which also happened to be their first Afcon goal.

Kenya then hosted Cameroon on July 1, 1984 in Nairobi which Kenya lost 3-1. This is also the same year Cameroon won their first Afcon title in Ivory Coast after beating Nigeria 3-1 in the final. They then lost the 1986 Afcon final to Egypt in Cairo on post-match penalties. The two sides then played to a 3-3 draw at the 1987 All African Games that Kenya went on to lose the final to Egypt. Cameroon was coached by Frenchman Claude Leroy while Reinhard Fabisch was leading Kenya’s technical bench.

Kenya played in the 1988 Afcon that was hosted by Morocco. Harambee Stars were in the same group with Cameroon, Nigeria and Egypt. Kenya played Cameroon on March 20, the match ended in a barren draw. Cameroon and Nigeria qualified for the knockout stage as Kenya came last in the group and exited with Egypt. The two met again at the 1990 Afcon in Algeria and Kenya lost 2-0.

Kenya then met Cameroon in Group five of the 1998 Afcon qualifiers. The other countries in the group were Gabon and Namibia. Kenya held the Indomitable Lions side that had Misse Misse, Alphonce Tchami, Pierre Wome, Jeremi Njitap, Raymond Kalla, Solomon Olembe and Marc Vivien Foe to a barren draw in Nairobi. It was a formidable side, but Harambee Stars stood their ground. Kenya was coached by the late Reinhard Fabisch and had Francis Onyiso, Seif Mutie, Ken Simiyu and others.

In the return leg in Yaoundé in July 1997, which also happened to be the last match in the group, Kenya frustrated Cameroon to a 1-1 draw. Francis Were who played for Reli FC scored in the 49th minute before Cameroon equalised through a penalty in the 89th minute. Kenya was at the bottom of the group so even if they had won, it wouldn’t have changed much, maybe tie on seven points with Gabon. Kenya once again faced Cameroon in a friendly match in Nairobi on January 9, 2010, but lost 3-1.

Cameroon has produced many world renown footballers like Roger Miller, Samuel Eto’o and the late Marc Vivien Foe. However, Reinhard Fabsich managed to hold Cameroon thrice over two stints as Kenya’s coach. Engin Firat needs to look for Fabisch’s notes to work out a formula of beating Cameroon in Kampala and Douala.