CAF Axes S Leone Tie Leaving Stars On The Brink Of 2019 AFCON Finals

NAIROBI, Kenya- Harambee Stars are on the brink of qualifying for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals after CAF cancelled their match against Sierra Leone that was due to be played on Sunday (November 18).

Should their qualification be confirmed, the team will be entitled to claim the KSh50m they were promised by Deputy President, William Ruto, ahead of their last qualifier against Ethiopia in Nairobi.

According to Football Kenya Federation (FKF), the game scheduled for the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani has been called off vide a letter they received from the continental governing body.

“Seeing that Sierra Leone is still under suspension by FIFA, please note that the above mentioned match will not take place.

“The status of the group will be communicated later on once the competent body takes a final decision in this regards,” part of the letter signed by CAF Competitions Division’s Khaled Nassar.

Its Executive Committee will make a final decision on the final standings of the group that also has three-time African champions Ghana and Ethiopia.

As it stands, Stars who need a top two finish to punch their ticket to the 2019 AFCON finals in Cameroon lead the way in Group F with seven points from two wins and a draw, having lost their opener in June last year to Sierra Leone.

Tunisia 2004 outing

Ethiopia, on four are second ahead of the Black Stars who have three but should the Sierra Leone results be chalked off, the Walya Antelopes who Stars beat 3-0 at home followingRUTOa 0-0 draw last month will slip to the bottom of the group.

Ghana who blanked Ethiopia 5-0 in their opener last year welcome Ethiopia on Sunday in Accra before rounding off their pool assignments by hosting Kenya in March next year.

Stars, then under head coach Stanley Okumbi, succumbed 1-2 to Sierra Leone before they got their qualification bid back on track when they stunned the Black Stars 1-0 at Kasarani on September 8 in a match where current boss, Sebastien Migne took charge of his first competitive game.

Stars last played at the AFCON finals in Tunisia 2004 where their campaign under former head coach Jacob ‘Ghost’ Mulee, ended at the preliminary round following 3-1 and 3-0 defeats to Mali and Senegal in that order.

Kenya however, saved face when they hammered Burkina Faso 3-0 for their first ever win at the competition in their last group phase encounter.
Emmanuel Ake (51’), Dennis Oliech (64’) and John Baraza (83’) were on target for Stars at the October 12 Stadium in Bizerte on a landmark day for Kenyan football.