On Saturday March the 26th, Kenya’s Harambee Stars was playing against Angola’s Black Antelopes (Palancas Negras in Portuguese) at Nyayo Stadium. For the first time since 2008, I did not attend Harambee Stars’ international match played at home. The last match I watched at the stadium was in November last year against Uganda where we drew 0-0.
For the first time in a long time, Kenya won! The final score was 2-1 and the winning goal was slotted in by McDonald Mariga. He then went on to remove his shirt and was given a second yellow card which meant he had to leave the pitch. He will also not play against Angola on June 4th.
Mariga celebrates his goal with Dennis Oliech and Bob Mugalia. Their hairstyles are er.. odd but acceptable!!
Picture courtesy of Mohammed Amin, nation.co.ke website
What does the win mean? Technically, not much. There are four teams in our group: Kenya, Uganda, Guinea and Angola. We have to play each team home and away. So far we lost to Guinea away, drew with Uganda at home and won against Angola at home. The remaining matches are Guinea, home; Uganda, away and Angola, away.
To qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations being co-hosted by Equatorial Guinea and Gabon next year, we have to be at the top of our group. Only one team from each group will qualify, my brother tells me.
The stars now have a new kit, which I like! Below is the old kit.
The old kit! For the new one, refer to the image above!!! Image from some website in the UK.
I wish I had attended the match, from what I’m reading in the newspapers, it was a thrilling match.
Savvy Kenya in Japan 
Good for Harambee….its been long since they won matches
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I had no idea it was that serious an offense to remove your tshirt!
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True, that our team has to fight bravely for us to appear at ACN 2012. But its inaccurate to say only the top team will qualify for the championship. Its the first two teams which qualify. There are 8 groups and the championship requires 16 teams. Nevertheless our team made us proud.
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That rule alone ruined soccer for me, that was my main highlight!!!
But Mariga should have known better seeing that those are rules generally upheld in football.
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All this is greek to me. I don’t follow soccer; not like I don’t enjoy, I do. But I here you have to be emotionless to be a fan. I pity the loser as long as the leading team is not Kenyan or African.
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Attended the match. Good atmosphere though once you have attended a World Cup match (do I say), it appears the organization of any match you watch in Kenya is wanting. At least the entry to the stadium was controlled with each ticko expressly stating the entry gate. The stadia management have marked the stadium (you know, just green markings where you should place your bum on the terraces).
Cant believe you love the new kit. Looks like something designed by a kindergarten kid but at least it looks Kenyan instead of those silly Adidas kit we wear that are worn by village teams.
Big Mac was of course the toast and the scorcher he scored deserved a red card for intent to cause grievous bodily harm to the Angolan goalie. The rule about booking someone for toa-ring the shirt is so mired in controversy since it traces origins to shirt sponsors demanding that players don’t deny them advertising time at peak moments (when the goal has just been scored). But since national teams are not allowed by ‘FUFA’ to have shirt sponsors, why then book someone on national duty? Conundrum and that why I say FICK FUFA!
Kenya can still qualify for the 2012 finals but it is stated in the same way I say that as long as I am alive, I can kiss Halle Berry. Basically, Kenya can qualify if the results go as follows:-
Uganda draws 0-0 with Guinea Pigsau (Dennis Obua misses penalty in 67th min)
Kenya beats Angola 1-0. (Allan Wanga scores off a rebound from Dennis Oliech, 32nd min)
Kenya beats Guinea Bissau 3-0. (Blackberry 12th, Oboya 56th, Oliech 77th).
Angola beat Uganda 2-0. (Manucho 5th, and Own Goal 18th)
Angola beats Guinea Bissau 1-0. (Gilberto 85th)
Kenya draws 1-1 with Uganda. (Obua scores penalty 11th, Mariga equalises 34th)
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surely mariga ni material ya england
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Riddle me this cricket….you haven’t missed a Harambee Stars match in a while and the first one you miss they win
hint: I don’t believe in coinkidinks
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