The Harambee Stars against Russia football friendly match scheduled to kick off this evening at 7pm east Africa time will be broadcast live on KBC Channel One. The friendly match is set to be played at Mardan Sports Complex,Antalya, Turkey.
Kenya is using the fixture to prepare for the forthcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers where Kenya is pooled in group F and will face Ivory Coast, Gabon, Gambia, Burundi and Seychelles. The qualifiers are set to begin in November.
Kenya begins the group campaign against Gabon away on November 13th 2023.
Top finishers will earn direct spots at the 2026 World Cup finals in USA,Mexico and Canada.
The friendly encounter the second time Kenya is facing a European side since playing New Zealand in 1983 is however less significant since Russia is suspended by FIFA following its military aggression against Ukraine.
The result will not be entered into FIFA records but will offer Harambee Stars head coach Engin Firat a form guide for his team
It will be Kenya’s third friendly match after beating Qatar 2-1 in Qatar before losing to South Sudan 1-0 in Nairobi in their second fixture played during last month’s international friendly window.
Speaking ahead of the friendly Firat declared Kenya ready for the encounter.’’ Even if Russia is really a tough team,we will try our best and give Kenya a good result. Anyembe{Daniel] we let him go and we also trying to see how Timbe{Ayub} situation is’’, Firat said.
Michae Olunga who is set to captain the side remarked on the good preparations that the side has had.
‘’The team is prepared we had good preparations in Turkey and the morale is high Russia is a good team and is ranked high ,such kind of friendly is important for we get the chance to learn and gauge ourselves where we are’’, Olunga said.
