Harambee Stars Face Eritrea Test as McCarthy Begins AFCON 2027 Qualifying Campaign Without Olunga

Harambee Stars will begin their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying campaign against Eritrea on Saturday at Nyayo National Stadium, with head coach Benni McCarthy facing an early test after a disrupted build-up.‎

Kenya are already assured of a place at the 2027 AFCON finals as co-hosts alongside Uganda and Tanzania, but will take part in the qualifiers as part of their preparations for the tournament.‎

The opening Group D fixture comes after a difficult week for McCarthy and his squad.

A dispute over outstanding player allowances disrupted Kenya’s camp, with the team only resuming training on Friday after the issue was addressed by the Ministry of Sports.‎

The limited preparation time has left McCarthy with little opportunity to fine-tune his tactics ahead of the encounter.

‎Harambee Stars will also be without captain and key striker Michael Olunga, who has been ruled out after experiencing discomfort following his return from a lengthy injury layoff.‎

Olunga recently returned to competitive action after recovering from a serious pelvic injury that required surgery in Paris.

However, after experiencing stiffness, he underwent a scan that revealed strains, prompting him and McCarthy to agree that he should continue his rehabilitation rather than risk a further setback.‎

His absence leaves Kenya without their most established striker and places greater responsibility on Ryan Ogam and Micah Obiero, alongside the other attacking options available to McCarthy.‎

The coach will also have to name a new captain. Abud Omar, who led Kenya during the recent CHAN campaign, is among the experienced players available, although McCarthy indicated that the decision would be made after the technical team settles on the starting lineup.

‎Eritrea, meanwhile, will arrive with some competitive momentum after advancing from the preliminary round by overcoming Eswatini.‎

The Red Sea Camels have also assembled a squad dominated by foreign-based players, with their current selection reportedly featuring 27 overseas-based players and only three based domestically.

‎Eritrea’s recent record against Kenya could provide additional confidence.

Although Harambee Stars hold the stronger overall head-to-head record, Eritrea have won the last three meetings between the two sides.

Their most recent victory came at the 2019 CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup, where they recorded a 4-1 win over Kenya.‎

McCarthy will therefore be seeking both a positive result and valuable competitive minutes as he continues to shape his squad ahead of AFCON 2027.‎

Kenya’s June international window produced mixed results, with Harambee Stars drawing 1-1 with Lesotho before responding with a 4-0 victory in the return fixture.‎

Group D also includes Guinea and South Africa, who will be competing for qualification from the group, while Kenya’s place at the finals is already guaranteed as one of the three co-hosts.‎

For McCarthy, the qualifiers offer an opportunity to assess players, develop combinations and establish the playing style he wants Harambee Stars to take into the 2027 tournament.

‎The Kenya-Eritrea Group D opener is scheduled for 4:00 pm on Saturday at Nyayo National Stadium.