Reasons why Harambee Stars failed to qualify for AFCON

Harambee Stars failed to qualify for their second consecutive Africa Cup of Nations after finishing third in Group G behind Comoros who booked a slot in the tourney for the first time in their history. Here are some of the factors that dumped Kenya's hopes.

The failure has been met with bewilderment seeing that the country started their campaign with a strong showing against record African champions Egypt, getting a rare point from the Pharaohs away from home.

Mozzart Sport's Stephen Ochieng offers his view on Kenya's past failed bids for the African Cup of Nations.

Home ties 

In the 2021 African Cup of Nations qualifiers, Harambee Stars failed to emerge victorious in any of their ties on home soil as they failed to maximize on home advantage. 

Perhaps the most disappointing draw came in the clash against Comoros despite their stalwart Youssef M'Changama being sent off in the 41st minute.

Qualification for tournaments has the simple mathematics of winning all your home clashes and earmarking a draw against the ‘weakest' side in the group away from home.

Of the teams that have qualified for the 2021 AFCON, Guinea won all their home matches and failed to get a win away from home while Gabon qualified under similar circumstances.

Change of guard

In Kenya’s history, the country has failed to qualify for the continental tourney after effecting changes in the team’s management. 

This has happened with Eckard Krautzun back in 1972, Reinhardt Fabish in 1988, Mohammed Kheri in 1990, Gerry Saurer in 1992, Ghost Mulee in 2004 (After the 2004 AFCON) and Sebastien Migne in 2018.

Migne qualified for AFCON after Sierra Leone were handed a ban by FIFA for government interference in football.

The firing of Francis Kimani has been pinpointed as one of the major impediments to Harambee Stars failing to book a slot for the second consecutive time.

Jacob Ghost Mulee took long to get his groove after taking over the reins from Kimani as he drew against lowly ranked Comoros and lost in the reverse fixture.

Covid-19 break

The Covid-19 enforced break also played a part in Harambee Stars failing to qualify for AFCON but the more cynical will say the global pandemic affected every team in the qualifiers.

The pandemic meant that Michael Olunga could not travel for the two ties against Comoros as Kashiwa Reysol were placed on quarantine after reporting Covid-19 cases in their squad.

The break also meant that the local players had lack of match sharpness as the league had been suspended from March after Covid-19 was first reported in the country.

Though there was only one local player in the name of Samuel Olwande in the starting line up against Comoros, Mulee did not have a strong bench as he introduced two Football Kenya Premier League (FKFPL) after half time. 

Defensive issues

Harambee Stars failed to keep a clean sheet in all their qualifiers, a run that eventually cost them as they only won one match in their qualifying campaign. 

The two different coaches tried out four combinations of back four players with Eric Ouma, Brian Mandela, Samuel Olwande and Joseph Okumu starting the first three games.

Of the four combinations, only Eric Ouma started all qualifying games and showed consistency as he successfully contained Mohamed Salah in the home stalemate.

Morocco and Senegal had the sturdiest defence shipping only a single goal in the qualifiers.