Engin Firat, the head coach of the Kenya national football team Harambee Stars, has warned his players against underestimating Zimbabwe in the upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.
Kenya was drawn into Group J for the AFCON 2025 qualifiers, alongside Namibia, Cameroon, and Zimbabwe.
In an interview with Pulse following the draw, Firat said Kenya should take Zimbabwe seriously as a formidable opponent. He said:
We are in a tough group, especially Zimbabwe. They are only in pot four because they dropped down during the ban.
But if you look at the quality of their players, most of them are playing in big leagues, such as the Turkish Super League.
Marshall Munetsi is playing in France, and Jordan Zemura is playing in Italy’s Serie A.
There are players in Ligue 1, and even players like Tino Kadewere. Others are playing in England, such as Leon Chiwome, who is in the Premier League with Wolves.
They have some good players. Of course, people who don’t look at this do not realize how strong they are.
The other teams, you know the quality of their squads. It will not be easy, but for us, it will not change anything.
The Harambee Stars can take encouragement from their recent victories over Zimbabwe, including a convincing 3-1 win in the final of the Malawi Four Nations tournament in March 2024, as well as a 2-0 triumph in the 2024 COSAFA Cup.
More: Pindula News