Mane vs Sakari and four other key battles expected in Harambee Stars clash with Senegal
.jpg)
Reading Time: 4min | Tue. 18.11.25. | 12:41
Harambee Stars head into the match on the back of a 1-0 defeat to Equatorial Guinea on Friday, 14 November, while Senegal suffered a 2-0 loss to World giants Brazil on Saturday, 15 November
Harambee Stars will hope to defy all odds and humble the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations Senegal when the two sides clash on Tuesday, 18 November at the Mardan Stadium in Antalya, Turkey, from 6 pm.
On paper, Senegal are favourites to win the match, but it is impossible to rule out Stars from performing a football miracle.
Follow our WhatsApp channel for more news
As the clock ticks towards kick-off, Kenyan fans will definitely turn to their screens to witness the Kenyan boys play against the Senegalese stars.
Kenya secured the friendly match against the African giants, who are in the homestretch of their preparations for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations that will be held from Sunday, 21 December 2025 to Sunday, 18 January 2026..
Harambee Stars head into the match on the back of a 1-0 defeat to Equatorial Guinea on Friday, 14 November, while Senegal suffered a 2-0 loss to World giants Brazil on Saturday, 15 November.
Ahead of the highly anticipated clash, Mozzart Sport looks at some of the six key battles that will likely decide the outcome of the match.
Sadio Mane vs Daniel Sakari
One of the greatest battles, in the game, will pit former Liverpool star Mane against Kenya Police defender Sakari.
The two-time African Footballer of the Year is a tried and tested performer, for both his club and country, and will be hoping to carry on with the same form and guide his team to victory.
.jpg)
However, to have an effect on the game, the Al Nassr winger must overcome Sakari, who is expected to start at the right full-back position.
Sakari once matched Egyptian winger Trezeguet and will be hoping to continue with the same form and put behind his poor performance against pacy Ivory Coast defenders.
This is a battle to watch and one that will definitely shape the outcome of the match.
Nicholas Jackson vs Sylvester Owino
Gor Mahia star Sylvester Owino will once again be expected to start at the heart of defense.
He will be up against Bayern Munich’s Nicholas Jackson.
After starting on the bench against Brazil, the former Chelsea striker is expected to be in the first team today.
For Owino, this might as well be the biggest challenge of his career, and he will be hoping to be equal to the task.
Pape Sarr vs Alpha Onyango
In central midfield, the battle will be between Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Pape Sarr and Gor Mahia star Alpha Chris Onyango.
Sarr has largely been used by Senegal as a box-to-box central midfielder and sometimes deployed just behind the striker to provide the much-needed creativity for his side.
The 23-year-old has been a regular at his English side and is enjoying some momentum that he will be keen to exploit and guide his team to victory.
Coach Benni McCarthy is expected to start Onyango after benching him against Equatorial Guinea.
While Onyango has been impressive for Harambee Stars, and largely been used as the man to control the tempo, he will be facing a star-studded midfield, which he will also use to gauge his progress as a player.
Kalidou Koulibaly vs Ryan Ogam
With the absence of captain Michael Olunga, Wolfsberger AC striker Ryan Ogam will be the man to lead Kenya’s hunt for goals.
Ogam, who has been a sensation for Harambee Stars, especially since the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN), will face yet another big test of his career, coming up against some world-class defenders in Al Hilal’s Kalidou Kuolibaly and Olympique Lyon’s Moussa Niakhite.
Koulibaly will be banking on his extensive experience at the top level in Europe, turning out for Chelsea and Napoli as well as in the Saudi Pro League, to silence the former Tusker striker.
Benni McCarthy vs Pape Thiaw
The other key battle of the day will be at the touchline, where Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy will be up against Senegal's Pape Thiaw.
The two tacticians were both strikers during their playing careers, with McCarthy playing at a higher level, including winning the UEFA Champions League and becoming his country's all-time top scorer.
His Senegalese counterpart, on the other hand, was capped only 16 times for Senegal and largely played professional football in France’s lower divisions.
However, Thiaw has been able to establish himself as one of the best coaches in Africa, and at only 41, he led Senegal to lift the 2022 CHAN.
