Harambee Stars defeated Rwanda’s Amavubi Stars 2-1 in their final Group F World Cup qualification match played on Monday afternoon at the Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi to end what has been an underwhelming qualification campaign on a positive note.Heading to the game, both teams had bowed out of the qualification bracket after Mali clinched the group slot and it was more of an international friendly match for the two East African nations. It was a game of two halves, Kenya was totally in control of the first half with the Amavubi running the proceedings after the interval.Kenya started the game on a positive when Michael Olunga gave them a third-minute lead. Eric Ouma delivered a good cross from the left, which Abdallah Hassan headed to the Kenya skipper’s path and he did the needful, firing home with his weaker right foot. Olunga nearly got his second of the game in the 11th minute but his thunderous left-foot effort was saved by Rwanda keeper Fiacre Ntwari.3′ Michael Olunga gives Kenya the lead. Abdallah Hassan assist. 1-0— Ole Teya (@Kevin_teya) November 15, 2021 Stars were proving a handful for the Amavubi to handle down the flanks. Hassan on the right and Ouma on the left were tormenting the visitors and a run into the area from the latter in the 15th minute resulted in a penalty after he got hacked down by an onrushing, Ntwari. Richard Odada stepped forward to take and he did not make a mistake, scoring his first international goal and Kenya’s second of the game.15’| GoalRichard Odada converts from the pen🇰🇪 2-0 🇷🇼#Tunaweza— Harambee Stars (@Harambee__Stars) November 15, 2021 Rwanda barely threatened Kenya as they were reduced to defending in the better part of the first half. Olunga had a great chance to get his second and Kenya’s third in the 28th minute but Ntwari did well to block his shot and Hassan failed to convert on the rebound with the ball hitting him before going out for a goal kick. Hassan failed to connect to another Ouma good delivery in the 33rd minute as Stars went for a kill.A rare Rwanda forward foray in the 34th minute resulted in Ali Serumogo having a go at Kenya’s goal, his effort however failed to trouble James Saruni as it went wide. The Amavubi chief tormentor, Ouma had an opportunity to get his name on the score-sheet in the 40th minute his low hard shot was saved by Ntwari on the visitors’ goal. That was the last major first-half action as Stars took a comfortable advantage to the dressing room.Rwanda showed some improvement after the interval as they went all out in search of a leveler. They won two good free-kicks in quick succession but they failed to amount to anything as Kenya dealt with the threat well. Olivier Niyonzima forced Saruni to pull a great save in the 61st minute with a great long-range effort.#WCQ2022 #CAF Fecha 6⚽️ 66′ GOL de Rwanda. Olivier Niyonzima llega para conectar el centro del tiro libre y marca el descuento▶️ [E] Kenya 🇰🇪 2:1⃣ Rwanda 🇷🇼▶️ [H] Namibia 🇳🇦 0:0 Togo 🇹🇬 pic.twitter.com/m1QXACI7Nl— Ienzo Duarte (@ienzoduarte) November 15, 2021 The Amavubi Stars continued to press and were rewarded with a goal in the 66th minute through Niyonzima who was proving to be a handful in the second half. Substitute Muhadjir Hakizimana delivered a free-kick from the right and Niyonzima did the rest firing home from close range. The goal seemed to have revitalized Rwanda who went all out in search of more goals but Kenya did well to derail them through tactical fouls. Saruni was equally forced to pull big saves to preserve Kenya’s advantage.Stars held on to pick a win that takes their tally to five points, they end the campaign in position three in group F.
