Harambee Stars Officially out of AFCON 2019

Kenyans are officially knocked out of the round of 16 in the African Cup of Nations after the final group stages that were played yesterday, faded their only hopes of advancing to the knock out stages as the “third-placed team with less conceded goals.”

The mathematics was to apply where the team that had conceded fewer goals and were third placed in their respective groups were to advance.

As a result, the stars did not meet these standards and are looking forward to a chance in the next tournament.

Despite thrashing close neighbors, Tanzania who apparently came out of the tournament with no single point, Kenya has to join them in boarding the plane back home.

Were it not for the three goals conceded against Senegal, Kenya would have had the best chance to advance. Most fans and football analysts claim that the team lacked mental strength which partly contributed to the poor performance.

Other teams that have joined the exit wagon are:

• Angola
• Burundi
• Guinea
• Bissau
• Kenya
• Mauritania
• Namibia
• Tanzania
• Zimbabwe

The teams that qualified for the round of 16 are:

• Algeria
• Benin
• Cameroon
• DR Congo
• Egypt
• Ghana
• Guinea
• Ivory Coast
• Madagascar
• Mali
• Morocco
• Nigeria
• Senegal
• South Africa
• Tunisia
• Uganda

Action is set to resume on Friday 5th July where the first two games of the round of 16 are played. Two games will be played on the 6th, 7th and 8th to determine the eight quarter-finalists.

East Africa is well represented by Uganda who will face one of the teams that are responsible for relegating Kenya and Tanzania.

Kenya is looking forward to facing Tanzania in the African Nations Championships qualifiers at the end of this month.

The match would be played in first and second leg ties involving home and an away match. This calls for proper preparation in order to avoid similar mistakes as those made in the African Cup of Nations. Mental strength and focus will be the key ingredients required for this match.