Despite heading to the final of the Four Nations tournament final as favourites, Harambee Stars head coach Engin Firat is cautious and anticipating a tough encounter against Zimbabwe.Stars will take on Zimbabwe in the final slated for Tuesday at the Bingu National Stadium in a game that is scheduled to kick off at 6 pm.Kenya laid bare the intentions of clinching the title after wiping the floor with Malawi in the semifinals played on Saturday where a brace from Michael Olunga and strikes from John Avire and Ayub Timbe won the game for Stars.##NAJAVA_MECA_7981110##Zimbabwe on the other hand eliminated Zambia 6-5 on post-match penalties following a 2-2 draw in regular time.Malawi punish Rising Stars to clinch Four Nations Tournament U20 titleAhead of the final, Firat admitted that his charges will up against a decent side that is mentally strong given the resilience demonstrated in the semis against the much-fancied Zambia.At some point, Zambia were leading 2-0 but the Warriors restored parity before emerging victorious in the shootout.“There is no guarantee that we will replicate the performance we put against Malawi as each match has its history or story. Therefore, we will see tomorrow as we are facing a good team. They played well against Zambia who are a football powerhouse in Africa. They are strong character looking at the manner in which they won against Zambia We have to be mentally strong to win the tie,” said the Turkish gaffer.Firat however maintained that his charges are motivated and ready to play for the badge.“It is an honour for every player to play for the national team. A player should not need any extra motivation when on national team duties,” he remarked.Harambee Stars can easily beat Ivory Coast, says coach Engin FiratBefore Stars jetted out to Malawi for the tournament, Firat revealed that the showpiece aimed to prepare the team for the 2026 World Cup and 2025 Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers.Stars will take on African champions Ivory Coast and CECAFA neighbours Burundi in June in World Cup qualifiers.
