The Kenya National Football Team, Harambee Stars, secured a crucial 2-1 victory over Namibia in their second Group J match of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.
The game held at Orlando Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Tuesday evening, was a fiercely competitive defensive struggle, with both teams unable to score, leading to a goalless first half.
John Avire and Duke Abuya were on target for Kenya, with Avire opening the scoring in the 58th minute and Abuya securing the win with a late goal from a quick counter-attack.
Avire scored for Kenya in the 58th minute with a well-placed free-kick that caught the Namibian defence off guard.
Erick ‘Marcelo’ Ouma deserves special recognition for orchestrating a swift counter-attack from the flanks in the 76th minute, assisting Duke Abuya in scoring Kenya’s second goal and sealing the match against Namibia.
Namibia scored a consolation goal in the 94th minute through Deon Hotto’s but it wasn’t enough with Harambee Stars bagging three crucial points from the encounter.
With this victory, Kenya tops Group J with four points, ahead of Cameroon on goal difference, as the two teams gear up to lock horns next month.
Cameroon defeated Namibia but later drew with Zimbabwe, tying with Kenya at four points. Despite identical records, Kenya leads the group due to their superior goal tally.
Kenya began their qualification campaign with a 0-0 draw against Zimbabwe at Mandela Stadium, earning a point.
Namibia has yet to register any points.
Kenya’s next challenge will be against Cameroon on October 7, as both teams continue their quest for a place in the 2025 AFCON tournament, set to be hosted in Morocco.
Harambee Stars currently top Group J with 4 points.
