Harambee Stars AFCON dreams extinguished after draw with Egypt - Capital Sports
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Egypt forward Mohamed Magdy Afsha is sandwiched by Kenya's Abdallah Hassan and Teddy AKumu during their Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at Kasarani on March 25, 2021. PHOTO/Timothy Olobulu

Football

Harambee Stars AFCON dreams extinguished after draw with Egypt

NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 25 – Kenya’s mathematical hopes of booking a ticket to next year’s Africa Cup of Nations was extinguished on Thursday night after playing to a 1-1 draw with Egypt, the Pharaohs joining Comoros in earning a ticket to Cameroon.

Stars had to play the final 14 minutes of the game with 10 men after Johnstone Omurwa was sent off for an apparent off the ball incident with Ahmed Mostafa.

With the results on Thursday, the matches on Monday where Kenya plays away to Togo and Egypt will be at home to Comoros will be mere formality.

But despite the draw, Stars will leave Kasarani with their heads held high after a commendable performance and coach Jacob ‘Ghost’ Mulee will now look to build into the 2022 World Cup qualifiers which start in June.

-Egypt score early-

Even before Stars could settle in, Egypt were already into the lead. Mohamed Magdy Afsha struck into the roof of the net after Ahmed Mostafa had played a dummy off Mo Salah’s cross from the right.

But, that was as much danger as the Egyptians would cause the hosts in the opening half.

Kenya gradually picked up into the game and settled in nicely, but were undone by lack of a cutting edge in the final third. In the seventh minute, Abdallah Hassan did well on the right to cut back a cross to Michael Olunga, but the Kenyan skipper’s shot went straight to the keeper’s arms.

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In the 10th minute, Mahmoud Hamdy made a decisive sliding clearance to pluck the ball of Olunga’s waiting feet inside the box as he raced in to an Erick Ouma cross from the left.

The Kenyans had another opportunity in the 17th minute when Daniel Sakari’s long throw found the head of Omurwa, but the latter’s flicked header went straight to the keeper’s gloves.

Kenya created another chance in the 24th minute, some quick throw from Sakari to Hassan seeing the latter cut back a cross to Teddy Akumu at the edge of the box, but the Kaizer Chiefs man’s rasping shot was saved by the keeper.

Five minutes to the break, Stars thought they had their way back into the game when Masud Juma had the ball inside the box, but he was flagged down for offside as he raced down to pick out a brilliant chipped pass from Akumu.

In the second half, Stars started off in the same tempo they ended the first and had a great chance two minutes in. Masud did well to shake away from his marker on the right before drifting in, but his rasping shot was saved by the keeper with Olunga hitting the side netting feeding off the scraps.

On the other end, Egypt almost made it 2-0 when Stars lost possession cheaply with the ball fed to Mahmoud Trezeguet but Ian Otieno was quick off his line to block. Afsha picked the rebound before passing to Salah, who struck over.

Stars kept their gas on the gas and came close on the hour mark when a brilliant cross from the left, but Hassan’s connecting header at the backpost went over.

However, the Bandari man had his goal five minutes later when he slammed the ball into the net from the right after a goalmouth melee off a corner.

Stars made changes after the goal, Abdallah and Masud coming off for Clifton Miheso and Cliff Nyakeya, Stars adding some punch in attack.

They kept their pressure and thought they should have had a penalty in the 75th minute when Olunga was clipped by Ahmed Hegazi inside the box as he prepared to pull the trigger, but the ref had none of it.

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Kenya felt hard done by the call with coach Jacob ‘Ghost’ Mulee falling to his knees in disbelief and the knife would be turned harder om Kenya’s flesh on the turn, Omurwa being sent off for an apparent elbow on Mostafa.

Nahashon Alembi was brought on for his competitive debut with Nyakeya being sacrificed, just 12 minutes after coming on.

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