Okumbi upbeat ahead of Afcon 2019 qualifiers

Harambee Stars head coach Stanley Okumbi is optimistic that the national team will perform well in the upcoming Afcon 2019 qualifiers.

Kenya are pooled in Group F alongside Ghana, Sierra Leone and Ethiopia for the Group stage encounter which is scheduled to commence in June. Harambee Stars will start the campaign against Sierra Leone away between 5 and 13 June before returning for second-day action to host Ghana in March 2018.

Afcon 2019: Kenya handed Ghana test

They will then play against Ethiopia in September away and home respectively.

With this in mind, Okumbi has asserted that Kenya will prepare adequately so as to record proper results in the qualifiers marking the first three matches as must-win encounters. “Our aim, plan and target is to get positive results in the first three matches because it will not be easy for us if we perform poorly in the matches. In fact, we should win all home matches.

“Before we reach there, we should have played at least two friendly matches in order to boost our fitness levels and cohesiveness. You know we were to play Morocco in this month but I’m yet to confirm whether it will be played or we will have the match in February.

Kenya touted to perform well in Afcon 2019

“This time round, we don’t want to go to the tournament just to participate; we want to compete. You know we have been building a team and we don’t want to make mistakes. In this regard, I would be happy if the leagues especially the Kenyan Premier League starts earlier so as to give room for monitoring players in good time.”

The tournament’s finals will be played in Cameroon between January 12 and February 3, 2019.