NAIROBI, Kenya, July 12 – Harambee Stars have lined up an international friendly against the Burundi Swallows at Nairobi’s Nyayo National Stadium on Tuesday as they prepare to face Liberia in the 2015 African Nations Cup qualifiers.
The national team reported to camp three days ago as they seek to make it to the final group qualifiers when they travel to Maseru to play Lesotho next Sunday for their second round opener, before hosting the land locked nation a fortnight later in Nakuru.
If they emerge victors over the two legs, Stars will join 2013 finalists Burkina Faso, Gabon and Angola in Group C for the final qualifiers.
The two sides have met six times before, twice in friendly games and three times at the annual regional showpiece Cecafa Senior challenge Cup and once in CHAN qualifiers.
Burundi who were bundled out of the qualifiers by Botswana 1-0 on aggregate, have a better head to head record, winning three compared to Stars’ two and head coach Adel Amrouche will be looking to do one over his former employers.
The 25-man Swallows delegation will arrive in the country on Monday and depart on Wednesday, a day after the build up.
Stars will be without Amouche in both legs after the Belgian was slapped with a two match ban for confronting match officials during the return leg of their Nations Cup qualifier against Comoros in May.
Ulinzi Stars skipper Stephen Ocholla and Tusker’s Brian Osumba are the latest inclusions in the squad.
“As a federation we want to ensure that our national team is ready to the task ahead as we begin our journey towards qualifying for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco,” FKF President Sam Nyamweya said in a statement.
The match will kick-off at 4pm with VIP tickets selling at Sh500 (USD 5.7) while terraces retailing at Sh200 (USD 2.3).
