Kenya's soccer friendly with Malawi in doubt as CAF delays approval

Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-03 03:58:50|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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NAIROBI, Sept. 2 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's international soccer friendly match against Malawi, which was to be staged on Sunday, is in doubt after Confederation of African Football (CAF) delayed its approval.

According to Football Kenya Federation (FKF), Harambee Stars had agreed to play Malawi on Sunday night if CAF fails to give them the green light.

The Flames of Malawi are in Nairobi on their way to Morocco and wanted to make maximum use of their layover time to play one more friendly match.

"Harambee Stars was to play Malawi in Nairobi on Sunday," said Mwendwa on Sunday in Nairobi. "But we are still waiting for approval from CAF."

The Flames of Malawi are preparing for their 2019 Africa Nations Cup qualifier against Morocco scheduled for Sept. 8. The team is expected to leave the country on Monday for Rabat.

On the other hand, Kenya faces a tall order as it faces Ghana in Group F clash of the Africa Nations Cup on Sept 9. Kenya risks elimination from the qualifiers should they lose their second straight match having lost the opener against Sierra Leone 2-1 in Free Town in June 2017.

Ghana's Black Stars are the leaders in the group having beaten Ethiopia 5-0 in Accra. Kenya is third without a point while Ethiopia, who hosts Sierra Leone on Sept 9, occupies the bottom spot.

African teams are grouped in 12 pools with each winner securing the ticket to the finals in Cameroon in 2019. They will also be joined by three best runners-up to make the 16-team competition.

Meanwhile, Harambee Stars head coach Sebastian Migne has called to camp a team of 38 players.

The team arrives for training on Sunday (Local based stars) while the foreign-based players will be given one day off before joining their colleagues in Nairobi on Tuesday.

Migne, who had been away on sabbatical, has returned in the country to take charge of the team.

He has an obligation to help Kenya return to the Africa Nations Cup finals after missing out on the continent's premier football competition for 14 years. The last time Kenya played in the Nations Cup finals was in Tunisia in 2004.