NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 10 – Officially, Harambee Stars will not be a the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar after losing 1-0 at home to Mali in their fourth match of Group E at the Nyayo National Stadium on Sunday.
Though a better performance from the 5-0 drubbing suffered in Agadir on Thursday, it was never enough to avoid defeat as Ibrahima Kone once again haunted Stars, scoring the winning goal in the 55th minute of the game.
Kone who struck a hattrick in the first leg in Agadir ensured that Mali keep their World Cup dream alive.
Kenya and Rwanda meanwhile have their ambitions come to a screeching halt and will play the last two matches for pride. Rwanda lost their match against Uganda 2-0 in Kampala to remain bottom of the pool with a single point.
In Nairobi, Stars were battling to keep their dream and dignity intact after Thursday’s catastrophe.
To his starting team, Head coach Engin Firat made changes from the squad that played in the first leg. Erick ‘Marcelo’ Ouma was switched from left to right back, Brian Bwire started in goal ahead of Faruk Shikalo while Duke Abuya was preferred to Lawrence Juma in midfield.
Abdallah Hassan and Boniface Muchiri were the other two changes from the team in Agadir as they started on either wing.
The gambles proved to work in the opening half, with Kenya playing better as compared to the first leg.
Abuya forced the Malian keeper into a fine save in the eighth minute when he struck a shot from inside the box after being teed up by Michael Olunga.
Three minutes later, Olunga was at the end of another chance for Stars when he rose to meet a Muchiri cross but his header flew over the bar.
The home boys continued dominating, playing well and winning the battle in midfield, Kenneth Muguna and Richard Odada forming a better partnership in midfield.
Off a counter attack, Stars should have been one up in the 20th minute but Muchiri’s curling effort was parried away by the keeper after being out through by Olunga.
Hassan had been lively on the right wing, doing well to beat his markers but most of theme failed to deliver a quality ball into the box.
Mali were limited in their chances and the only time they came close was at the stroke of halftime when Diadie Samassekou’s looping header from Musa Djenepo’s cross hit the bar and keeper Bwire bounced up to collect the rebound.
At the start of the second half, Stars should have grabbed the lead when Olunga found some space to slash in a low cross into the box, but Hassan who was sliding in at the back post could not arrive in time to tap it home.