Firat gives verdict on unfulfilled AFCON 2025 promise
.jpg)
.jpg)
Reading Time: 3min | Sat. 16.11.24. | 07:30
Though understanding of the fan and nation fury, the 54-year-old followed on to a well-trodden path to provide reason behind elimination
In the end, it all played out just as we expected.
Perhaps not to all Kenyans hoping for their national football team to make a first return to the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) since 2019, but to head coach Engin Firat and his battery of assistants.
That was his immediate thought when probed on his view of a 1-1 draw against Zimbabwe on Friday, 15 November evening, ending Kenya's fading chances of a trip to the biennial continental tournament.
"The game played out as we expected," a dazzled Firat told the press post-match at the Peter Mokaba Stadium. "Zimbabwe, as we knew, first stayed deep, playing long balls to their fast players on counterattacks.
He continued, "I think both sides gave a big fight, but it's like a red line for us that we don't use our goal chances and are also injured like we saw with Joseph Okumu today."
On the former point, he went further; "It's clear that we have a goal-scoring problem that we need to find a solution to if we are to move up to a higher level. I wish we could have solved the problem better earlier, but we couldn't change it."
Harambee Stars coach Engin Firat has to go, he's just not good enough.
— Ole Teya (@TeyaKevin) November 15, 2024
Three competitive wins in three years is unacceptable. #TeamKenya pic.twitter.com/SWWEzwBwj3
And in words that could be soon used against him, he added; "There is nothing I can say to the boys. They tried everything till the last second. They deserved more. In the end, this is football and you can't change everything."
On his feelings towards not delivering on what he promised, he said; "I can understand the frustration that comes with that back home as we wanted to go there. As I said, there's nothing I can say about the players who did their best."
Add in the famous Firat ingredient; "But for us maybe we have to realize what we have and stop dreaming. We know about the many times I have had a problem with our football. It's even getting worse. We need to look at reality and instead of all we want, ask with what. Things on the outside can always change, but our record in this tournament explains everything."
AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS - QUALIFIERS
Wednesday
Namibia - Cameroon 0-0
Liberia - Togo 1-0 (0-0)
/Sangare 83 pen/
Chad - Sierra Leone 1-1 (1-1)
/Thiam 34 pen - Dumbuya 29/
Thursday
Equatorial Guinea - Algeria 0-0
Lesotho - Central African Republic 1-0 (0-0)
/Mokhachane 51/
South Sudan - Congo 3-2 (2-2)
/Ezibon 31, 45+2, Elly 84 - Ibayi 26, 35/
Burundi - Malawi 0-0
Madagascar - Tunisia 2-3 (2-2)
/Memmiche 20 og, Amada 45+3 - Rafia 6, Ltaief 39, Abdi 90+3/
Rwanda - Libya 0-1 (0-0)
/Saad Mohamed 84/
Niger - Sudan 4-0 (3-0)
/Sosah 6, 45+3 pen, Oumarou 29, Badamassi 51/
Benin - Nigeria 1-1 (1-0)
/Tijani 16 - Osimhen 81/
Burkina Faso - Senegal 0-1 (0-0)
/Diarra 83/
Friday
Botswana - Mauritania 1-1 (1-1)
/Baruti 18 - Koita 7/
Uganda - S.Africa 0-2 (0-0)
/Morena 49, Maswanganyi 89/
Cape Verde - Egypt 1-1 (0-1)
/Mendes 63 pen - Mohamed 31/
Eswatini - Guinea B. 1-0 (0-0)
/Mkhontfo 81/
Mozambique - Mali 0-1 (0-1)
/Doumbia 19/
Zambia - Ivory Coast 1-0 (1-0)
/Musonda 43/
Zimbabwe - Kenya 1-1 (1-0)
/Maswanhise 32 - Ayunga 52/
22.00: (3.20) Angola (3.10) Ghana (2.40)
22.00: (5.40) Gabon (3.50) Morocco (1.72)
Saturday
19.00: (3.30) Ethiopia (2.75) Tanzania (2.45)
22.00: (2.45) Guinea (3.10) Dr Congo (3.15)
***odds are subject to change***
---------------------------------------------------------------
UEFA NATIONS LEAGUE - GROUP STAGE
Division A
Thursday
Belgium - Italy 0-1 (0-1)
/Tonali 11/
France - Israel 0-0
Friday
Denmark - Spain (0-1)
/Oyarzabal 15/
Portugal - Poland
Scotland - Croatia
Switzerland - Serbia
Saturday
22.45: (1.15) Germany (8.00) B&H (16.0)
22.45: (1.40) Netherlands (4.70) Hungary (8.00)
Sunday
22.45: (3.40) Italy (3.35) France (2.30)
Division B
Thursday
Kazakhstan - Austria 0-2 (0-2)
/Baumgartner 15, Gregoritsch 25/
Greece - England 0-3 (0-1)
/Watkins 7, Vlachodimos 78 og, Jones 83/
R.Ireland - Finland 1-0 (1-0)
/Ferguson 45/
Slovenia - Norway 1-4 (1-2)
/Sesko 21 pen - Nusa 4, 59, Haaland 45, Hauge 82/
Saturday
20.00: (2.50) Georgia (3.25) Ukraine (2.90)
20.00: (2.50) Montenegro (3.25) Iceland (2.90)
20.00: (1.77) Turkey (3.50) Wales (4.90)
22.45: (3.20) Albania (3.30) Czech R. (2.30)
Sunday
20.00: (1.22) England (6.25) R.Ireland (14.0)
***odds are subject to change***
