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The Nairobian

Kenya seek to stop Burundi in Chan return leg

Football

By - | Jan 06, 2013

By Gilbert Wandera

NAIROBI; KENYA: Stars take on Burundi in a match that will decide which way Kenyan football will take in the next year

Kenya takes on Burundi in an Africa Nations Championships (Chan) match that has a lot of significance on the country’s football future.

The match at Nyayo National Stadium will kick off at 4pm and, at the end of it, will decide which way for Kenyan football.

Locked out of this month’s Africa Cup of? Nations finals in South Africa, and with no hopes of making it to Brazil next year for the World Cup, the Chan finals has never been so attractive and timely.

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The Chan competition was introduced by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in 2008 to provide home-based players and teams that have a chance to make it to the Africa Cup of Nations finals – an opportunity to feature in top flight football.

Its inaugural edition was held in 2009 in Ivory Coast, while the second one was staged in Sudan two years ago. Next year’s finals will be played in South Africa.

Must-win match

Ahead of today’s match, Harambee Stars stand-in head-coach James Nandwa captured the desperation of the situation early in the week by insisting that whatever happens the team must win this match.

“We are not going to South Africa this year and have no realistic chance in the World Cup qualifiers,” he said.

“This therefore remains our only chance to remain on the international arena.

“There is no other result for us to expect apart from a convincing win and the players understand that,” he said.

Nandwa has once again been forced to endure with inadequate preparations ahead of today’s fixture, which was curtailed by the long Christmas and new year holidays as well as the absence of key players.

Second string

Influential midfielders Paul Were and Rama Salim pulled out of the squad due to various reasons and the team may have to improvise in this department where they still have Kevin Omondi and Bernard Mangoli.

However, considering that Nandwa was able to send a second string side to the finals of the regional tournament in Uganda last month, many Kenyans have reason to hope for a better result.

The coach ?has young players who are hungry to succeed after being given an opportunity to don the national team colours and this should push them to get positive results.

Nandwa has been boosted by the availability of at least five players who did duty for the team in Uganda last year and on them he will seeking to build a winning outfit.

While Burundi remain unknown in the region in matters football, this may as well be their strength as they seek to put down a regional powerhouse.

Harambee Stars lost to hosts Uganda in the Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup in Kampala last month.