Harambee Stars rise two places up in latest FIFA rankings

Peniel Kokou (L) of Togo contests for aerial ball with Joash Onyango of Harambee Stars during their Total Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers 2021 match first leg match at Kasarani stadium in Nairobi on November 18, 2019. The match ended 1-1. [Photo/Stafford Ondego]

Kenya has moved two places up to 102 in the latest FIFA rankings released in the midweek.

This is after Harambee Stars registered three wins and a draw in their four matches played last month during the international break.

Harambee Stars saw off South Sudan (1-0) and Tanzania (2-1) on March 13 and 15 respectively before playing out to a 1-1 draw against Egypt in Nairobi on March 25.

Jacob Mulee's charges closed the international break with a 2-1 victory over Togo in what was their final 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier on March 29.

In the East African region, Uganda, who Kenya will face in 2022 World Cup qualifiers starting June, leads at position 84 despite dropping by one position. Kenya (102) is second followed by Sudan (123), Rwanda (129), Tanzania (137), Ethiopia (140), Burundi (142).

Harambee Stars are also in the same group with Mali (57) and Rwanda in the race to Qatar.

Despite dropping by two positions to number 22 in the world, Senegal remain number one in Africa followed by Tunisia, Nigeria, Algeria and Morocco respectively in position 26, 32, 33 and 34 in the world.

In the meantime, South Africa’s failure to qualify for the AFCON has seen them drop four places to 75th.

Globally, the top six has not changed, with Belgium still dominating ahead of France, Brazil, England, Portugal and Spain in that order.

Italy have climbed to seventh spot after moving ahead of Argentina and Uruguay.

Denmark broke into the elite list ahead of Mexico into the top 10, after the latter dropped two places from ninth to eleventh.