NAIROBI, Kenya, November 14- Harambee Stars will not take any chances when they face Seychelles in their return pre-qualifier on Tuesday despite holding a healthy 3-0 from the first away leg.
Speaking after training on Monday at Nairobi’s City Stadium, head coach Francis Kimanzi will deploy the same squad that did duty in Seychelles on Friday albeit with only three changes in the starting 11.
“This can not be a test match. It has to be a serious campaign for a knock out, we want to win and we want to qualify, its important.
“A lot can change in 90 minutes and we do not want to take any chance and we want to do it in style and feel comfortable when doing it,” Kimanzi told reporters.
Deputy captain and the scorer of Kenya’s opening goal in the away leg, Pascal Ochieng echoed his coaches’ sentiments.
“The job is half way done; we have to complete it tomorrow. We played according to the instructions of the coach and we gelled well in three days which was so fast but we plan to do the same,” the Rangers FC defender explained.
At the same time, their opponents had a feel of the match venue, Nyayo National Stadium on Monday and their coach, Jean-Louis Ralph says his team will be playing to salvage their pride.
“We lost by a big margin at home and we will be going there to express ourselves since we have nothing to lose and you never know what might happen.”
Kevin Kimani (Mathare United), Paul Were (Tusker FC) and Mulinge Ndeto (Ulinzi Stars) are poised to be promoted to the starting line-up in place of Brian Mandela (Tusker FC), Stephen Waruru (Ulinzi Stars) and Bob Mugalia (Sofapaka).
“I’m still new with the team and I need to check on some players but for this match, I will make only three changes for the Seychelles game. There has been improvement since we did not concede,” the tactician who took over the role last Tuesday said.
With his team on the throes of making the Group F of the Africa qualifiers of the 2014 World Cup, Kimanzi cast an eye on the race to feature in the 2014 Brazil Mundial.
“We qualify for the groupings and we then we start analysing the teams there, do a SWOT analysis of the teams then we can come up with a good strategic plan.
Its football, nothing is impossible, the only thing I’m curious to get to the group stage, there are a lot of possibilities as there are threats,” the head coach stated.
STARS PROBABLE LINE-UP
Arnold Origi, Mulinge Ndeto, Pascal Ochieng, Dennis Onyango, James Situma, Jamal Mohammed, Titus Mulama, Victor Mugabe, Kevin Kimani, Paul Were, Dennis Oliech.