Harambee Stars' World Cup qualification fixtures released

Harambee Stars players celebrating their second goal against Taifa Stars during a friendly match at Nyayo National Stadium on Monday, March 15, 2021. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

Kenya National football team Harambee Stars will now shift focus to their 2022 World Cup qualifier matches after the fixtures were confirmed on Thursday.

Stars crashed out of the rescheduled AFCON tournament last month following their 1-1 draw against African giants Egypt.

The Kenyan team, however, defeated Togo 2-1 in the final group  G match of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers played at Stade de Kegue in Togo.

Harambee Stars finished third in Group G with seven points ahead of Comoros.

Qatar World Cup dream

Stars will take on Mali, Uganda, and Rwanda in the second round of the qualifiers. Only the winner of the group will be guaranteed a place in the final phase of the qualifiers.

All the teams in Group E will be seeking to qualify for the World Cup for the first time.

Stars, steered by the then head coach Bobby Williamson in 2015, reached the second round of the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification where they were bundled out by Cape Verde on a 2-1 aggregate scoreline.

Head coach Jacob “Ghost” Mulee will be seeking an improvement with better preparation despite COVID-19 obstacles ahead of the matches.

Harambee Stars' World Cup qualification fixtures and dates released:

Kenya vs Uganda - 5th/6th June

Rwanda vs Kenya - 12th/13th June

Mali vs Kenya - 3rd/4th Sept.

Kenya vs Mali - 6th/7th Sept.

Uganda vs Kenya - 6th/7th Oct.

Kenya vs Rwanda - 11th/12th Oct.