Kenya vs Burundi: Preview, Team News, Kick Off Time & Everything You Need to Know
7th June 2024
The game will be played at the Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe, Malawi.
- Harambee Stars will be facing Burundi and current African champions Ivory Coast on June 7 and June 11.
- Kenya currently sits third out of six in Group F of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers.
- The team has picked up three points from the opening two matches against Gabon and Seychelles.
The men’s national football team, Harambee Stars, will be hoping
for positive tidings when they face Burundi in their third Group F 2026 FIFA
World Cup qualifiers set to be played at the Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe,
Malawi on Friday evening.
Kenya currently sits third out of six teams in the group
having picked up three points from the opening two matches against Gabon and
Seychelles (W1 L1).
In the qualifiers, only the top team in the group which has
Ivory Coast, Gabon, Burundi, The Gambia, Seychelles, and Kenya will qualify for
the expanded 48-team World Cup which will be played across 16 cities in Canada,
Mexico, and the United States.
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Four of the best runners-up from the nine groups will then
get a lifeline in a playoff that will determine CAF’s representative in the
Inter-confederation playoffs involving six teams, which will decide the last
two FIFA World Cup berths.
As a result, Kenya, who are in position 107 in the latest FIFA rankings, will be bidding to use their advantage to get three crucial points against a Burundi side that is in position 140 and also has three points in the pool.
Kenya will be playing the home match in foreign territory because of lack of an approved stadium in the country.
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What they said
Kenya are set to face reigning Africa Cup of Nations
champions Ivory Coast just four days after the Burundi match, but Harambee
Stars captain Michael Olunga has urged the team to wipe away all thoughts of
the other match and to pay their attention to Burundi.
“Everybody is talking about Ivory Coast and underrating
Burundi which has the same style of play like us and is a strong opponent. We
should tackle them with a lot of respect. We were well received in Malawi and
our training has also been good,” Olunga said.
Team News
Head coach Engin Firat has some tough problems to face with
the Harambee Stars having been hit with several injuries to key players.
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to the World Series
Firat will not have key members of the team including Erick
“Marcelo” Ouma, Joseph Okumu, Ayub Timbe and Masoud Juma who will miss through
injury while Eric Johana was omitted from the squad due to indiscipline issues.
Bristol City defender Zak Vyner could be in line for his
debut with Omurwa and Sichenje also pushing for a start in defense with Kenya
Police’s Abud Omar facing little competition in the left back position.
Austin Odhiambo, who has had one of the standout
performances in the 23/24 league campaign is expected to form part of the team’s
attacking threat in what could also be his debut game.
Kick Off Time
The game is slated to kick off at 1600EAT at the Bingu
National Stadium in Lilongwe, Malawi.
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Current Form
Harambee Stars have won their last three matches in all
competitions and will be hoping they can continue that run on Friday.
In the World Cup qualifiers, they won one and lost one match
out of the two so far played.
Burundi have not won any game in their last four matches (D1
L3).
In H2H records, Kenya have the upper hand as they have won
twice compared to Burundi’s single win. The other two matches ended as draws.
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Full Squad
Goalkeepers
Ian Otieno, Byrne Omondi, Patrick Matasi
Defenders
Johnstone Omurwa, Collins Sichenje, Zak Vyner, Alphonce
Omija, Abud Omar, Daniel Anyembe, Tobias Knost, Baron Ochieng
Midfielders
John Ochieng, Anthony Akumu, Richard Odada, Chrispine
Erambo, Timothy Ouma, Duke Abuya, Kenneth Muguna, Austin Odhiambo, Ronney
Onyango, Clifton Miheso
Forwards
John Avire, Benson Omalla, Michael Olunga