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Full Stadiums: Kenyan football fan culture is on the ascend

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There is something beautiful happening in the Kenyan football sphere. Football in our country is changing but the change is outside the pitch. The past fortnight has witnessed full stadiums in games featuring the Harambee Stars as well as in the Kenya Premier League (KPL). On Sunday, Kenya’s biggest local derby, the Mashemeji derby, took place at a packed Nyayo stadium. This was only a week after fans filled the ground to watch Kenya lose 2-1 to Gabon in a world Cup qualifier. Meanwhile in Gusii Stadium, fans thronged the stadium to witness Shabana FC thrash Muranga Seal 3-0 in a KPL match. Sports journalist Kevin Teya (https://x.com/TeyaKevin) reported that the Mashemeji derby generated 7.3 million from ticket sales while Shabana managed 1.8 million as the home team. Eye catching figures that make you take notice. Kenyan football fans have long been criticised as too frugal when it came to investing in their own teams. This as the figures show is no longer the case considering fan m...

Kenya 1-2 Gabon: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's brace sinks a brave Harambee Stars at a packed Nyayo stadium.

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Benni McCarthy suffered his first loss as Harambee Stars coach after a 2-1 defeat at home against Gabon. The Panthers have their talismanic striker to thank for the three points as they temporarily moved top of group F in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Kenya sits fourth in the group, nine points behind Gabon.  The game started off at a rapid pace, with both teams launching attacks within the first minute of the game. Anthony Akumu had a shot from midfield parried away by Mbaba in goal while on the other side Kenya needed a goal-line clearance to deny Aubameyang. Kenya looked nervous at the back and Gabon were always looking for the ball in behind the Kenyan defence with focus on hitting balls for Bouanga to run onto and cross for Aubameyang.  The breakthrough did come in the 15th minute when Kanga found Aubameyang with a nicely floated ball which the striker took down beautifully and slotted past Ian Otieno. It was attack after attack for both teams and Michael Olunga thought ...

New dawn or same old Harambee Stars?

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We’ve been here before as Kenyan football fans. A new regime at the helm of the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) usually means a new head coach for the national team. The man chosen to lead Kenya for the next two and a half years is Benni McCarthy. A flashy appointment from Hussein Mohammed and co. McCarthy makes his debut tonight against the Gambia in a World Cup qualifier but all eyes will be on his home debut at Nyayo National stadium against Gabon on Sunday. Kenyan football fans haven’t watched a national team home match since a shock 1-0 loss to South Sudan in a friendly match at Moi International stadium, Kasarani. The coach needs to make a good first impression. The appointment is a crucial one for Kenyan football. One could even argue the next two years have the potential to bring the greatest footballing moments in our history. East Africa finally got hosting rights for the holy grail of African football, the Africa Cup of Nations in 2027. The allure of leading the home natio...

Euro 2024 preview: Portugal and Germany

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  3.PORTUGAL(GROUP F) Roberto Martinez will get yet another chance to deliver some silverware for another talent-rich nation. The Spaniard was in charge of Belgium’s golden generation but only had a semi-final to show for it in 2018. Portugal present a real threat for any opposition. Portugal are the only side to win all their qualifying games albeit against weaker sides. Their first real test against a top side under Roberto Martinez was their 2-1 friendly loss to Croatia on Saturday.A result that keeps them level-headed ahead of the group games. Tactically, Roberto Martinez has played with two formations, 3-4-3 and a 4-3-3. The later has been used in the past few games, an indication that Martinez may well favour an expansive formation for the tournament. But knowing him, he will certainly prioritize defensive solidity in the tournament.  They have an array of talent especially out wide. Diogo Dalot, Joâo Cancelo and Nuno Mendes offer Martinez countless flexibility from full...

Euro 2024 Preview: The Favourites

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There’s nothing quite like tournament football. The jeopardy of crashing out,the drama of a penalty shootout and the euphoria at the end when your team lifts the cup. It’s even better when it’s a continental quadrennial tournament. Euro 2024 is upon us. Time to don your national team colours(or adopt one). Let’s preview what to expect. The Favourites 1.FRANCE(GROUP D) Les Bleus are without a doubt the team to beat. Didier Deschamps has overseen three finals out of the last four major International tournaments. However, France did exit Euro 2020 at the hands of the Swiss in the round of 16. Blessed with an abundance of talent, Didier Deschamps has the task of producing another successful tournament. N’golo Kanté earned a surprise call up to add depth to what was already an impressive midfield. Tactically, France will likely set up in the familiar 4-3-3 formation although Deschamps has experimented with a 3-4-2-1 against Luxembourg. Decisions will have to be made on who to start between ...

AFCON 2023 Semi-Finals Preview

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It's crunch time at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. One of Nigeria, Ivory Coast, DRC or South Africa will be crowned champion of Africa. All four teams have a different story; a pressure-riddled host who has more lives than a cat, an unknown quantity who have snuck their way to the table in DRC, a super eagles team who look exactly that, super and a South Africa side hell-bent on claiming the Amapiano bragging rights :). Jokes aside, let's see what the Semi-finals have in store for us. NIGERIA VS SOUTH AFRICA The Amapiano derby as they're calling it on social media. If the game is anywhere close to the heated banter on social media, then we should be in for an exciting match. South Africa have Ronwen Williams to thank for his heroics in the quarters, saving four out of five penalty kicks against Cape Verde. Heroic seems like an understatement considering it's never been done before. He's conceded just two goals in the whole tournament from an expected goal on target...

AFCON 2023 Quarter Finals Preview

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 It has been three weeks of absolute chaos in the African football world. AFCON 2023 is already being touted as the best African tournament in recent memory, for some maybe the best ever. And it's not difficult to see why. Huge footballing nations such as Ghana, Algeria and Tunisia were sent packing in the group stage while tournament favourites Senegal, Egypt and Morocco were bundled out by much less fancied opposition.  AFCON 2023 has seen more goals scored (105) than the whole of 2021 (100) and 2019 (102) editions of the tournament. What's more astonishing is the 2023 Quarter final line up has no team from the same stage at the previous AFCON tournament. As fans we can only say let the competition keep on giving.  And now the Quarter finals are upon us,. The stakes are higher, the trophy almost in sight. Who is going to make it to the next round? NIGERIA VS ANGOLA  The first quarter final pits the highest ranked African side left in the tournament, Nigeria ,agains...

Harambee Stars earn creditable draw in Turkey

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Africa Cup of Nations 2027 Co-host Kenya fought off a late Russian surge to earn a well-deserved 2-2 draw away in Antalya, Turkey. Despite Russia's issues with FIFA due to the war in Ukraine, they still rank as high profile opponents for the Harambee Stars. Getting a result away from home is encouraging for the team as World Cup 2026 qualifiers near.   Engin Firat's boys thought they had done enough for the win but Ivan Oblyakov salvaged a draw for Russia in the 89th minute after a well worked team goal. A frustrating end to the game for Kenya as we had restricted the Russians to meagre chances in front of goal.  Many fans and pundits on both sides had questioned the competitiveness of such a fixture. Some in Kenya thought why would we play a country that is under a football embargo from FIFA knowing well enough the result would not help our FIFA ranking? Others welcomed it giving credit to the federation for getting the team high profile matches this year against Russia, Iran...

Arsenal Vs Manchester City preview: can Mikel Arteta finally oust the Grandmaster?

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Mikel Arteta has done a fantastic job at Arsenal since his appointment in December 2019. The football has improved, the relationship with the fans is better than ever, the stadium is louder than ever, we even have a club anthem and not forgetting last season’s title race. However, one thing has eluded him so far: a Premier League win over his mentor. The title run last season has raised expectations. Every point dropped is greeted with a wave of disappointment across the fan base. The loss against Lens in the Champions League was a sobering reality check that Arsenal haven’t been great so far this season. Bukayo Saka’s injury dampened the mood even more heading into a crucial game against the champions. The celebrations against Manchester City in the Community Shield were of a team that believed they had conquered a mental battle. A belief that this was the season that would end a 20- year- old league title draught. Since then, the team has hardly put out a ‘ we’re ready ‘ performance ...

Bright Stars bag unexpected win at Kasarani

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South Sudan stunned the Harambee stars 1-0 in a friendly played at Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani. Tito Okello scored the lone goal of the game in the second minute. The Kenya Police FC striker did what we locally call ' alichoma shule' by scoring in familiar grounds much to the annoyance of local football fans.  Football fans had thronged the stadium bursting with expectation after the national team pulled off an impressive 2-1 victory away to Qatar. As easy as 12pm fans started trickling down singing and dancing the isukuti. The was a sense of patriotism. A belief that maybe this team would rejuvenate the love for local football. That the pride of putting on the national team jersey would be felt again. But typical of the Harambee stars they let us down again.  The goal coming in so early in the game momentarily dampened the ardour around the ground. Kenya started extremely nervous. Joseph Okumu's horribly executed back pass in the second minute mirrored how Ken...

Are Arsenal finally ready to beat one of the big boys in Liverpool?

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 Arsenal and Liverpool face off this weekend in a mouthwatering clash at the Emirates. It's a fixture that doesn't disappoint with only two nil-nil scorelines throughout the history of this league fixture. In recent times, Arsenal fans have dreaded this fixture. Whether it's Luis Suarez or Roberto Firmino, Liverpool's attackers have certainly enjoyed this fixture but is that era of dominance over the gunners coming to an end? Liverpool come into this game 11 points behind the league leaders despite being only eight games into the season. Their midweek win against Rangers gave them a huge boost ahead of a crucial game. The groans were getting louder, previously flawless Trent Alexander- Arnold and Virgil Van Dijk are now heavily under the microscope. Rival fans can't wait for the next Trent mistake while the media are drawing their knives out already. Jurgen Klopp has built his success at Liverpool around pressing. They were famed for chocking teams under their press...