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Harambee Stars head coach Engin Firat criticized poor refereeing in a 0-0 draw against Zimbabwe in the AFCON qualifiers held in Uganda.
Harambee Stars head coach Engin Firat blamed their goalless draw against Zimbabwe on what he described as poor officiating during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers at Mandela National Stadium in Kampala.
The Group J clash, hosted by Kenya in Uganda due to the unavailability of a standard home stadium, ended in a frustrating 0-0 tie.
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18:32 - 06.09.2024
Toothless Harambee Stars kick off 2025 AFCON qualifying campaign with draw against Zimbabwe
Kenya were wasteful with the few chances they got in a game where they dominated ball possession during their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
Kenya, unable to use their major sports facilities due to ongoing renovations, faced Zimbabwe in what was technically a home game but away from their usual crowd support.
“The referee should not help to defend the team, he should look at what is going on and decide. There were many situations in which I didn’t understand what he saw in the match because he gave many fouls against us, specifically (against) Eric Johana and when Austin (Odhiambo) had a situation which would have been a penalty for us,” Firat expressed in a post-match interview as per Nation.
The Turkish gaffer lamented the officiating further, noting, “The referee should not be only on the side of those defending to improve football. If you look at the final minutes of the match, he was siding with Zimbabwe when they were attacking.”
Despite his harsh critique of the officiating, Firat acknowledged the Stars' lack of aggression and precision in front of the goal.
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20:39 - 06.09.2024
Harambee Stars player ratings: How they performed in disappointing result against Zimbabwe
Harambee Stars struggled to capitalize on their dominance in a 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier played at Nelson Mandela Stadium in Kampala.
However, he remains optimistic about improvements in their play as they prepare for their next encounter.
“We need to be more aggressive and sharp in the final third. I am hopeful for better execution in the upcoming games,” he stated.
Looking ahead, the Harambee Stars must now secure a strong result against Namibia at the Orlando Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa, to stay competitive in their qualifying group.
This upcoming match is crucial for Kenya to gather momentum in their quest for a spot in the continental finals in Morocco next year.
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05:35 - 06.09.2024
Why Engin Firat must be sweating between fingers as he pens his starting XI against Zimbabwe
Harambee Stars head coach Engin Firat is facing a tough decision ahead of the AFCON qualifier against Zimbabwe set to be played on Friday.
Meanwhile, other group contenders, Namibia and five-time African champions Cameroon, are set to face each other in their first group match at Roumde Adija Stadium in Garoua, Cameroon.
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