Kenya men’s national football side Harambee Stars registered their first victory of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers after beating Namibia 2-1 at the Orlando Stadium in South Africa on Tuesday.Stars, who were coming off a barren draw against Zimbabwe on Friday, got their goals from John Avire and Duke Abuya in a sensational second half from Engin Firat’s men.Namibia managed to get a consolation in the fifth minute of second-half added time, but was not enough to stop Kenya’s impressive display on the night.Coincidentally, before this win over Namibia, Harambee Stars last won an AFCON away qualifier match back in 2021 when they beat Togo 2-1 with the other away victory coming back in 2002 when Kenya beat Cape Verde 1-0.2-1 WIN 🇰🇪Bravo team Kenya🇰🇪. @Harambee__Stars 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾#HarambeeStars— MICHAEL OLUNGA (@OgadaOlunga) September 10, 2024 Avire, one of the three changes to the game, was first on the scoresheet when he directed his freekick past Loydt Kazapua in the 58th minute before Abuya capped off a brilliant Kenyan counterattack to bury the second with a quarter-an-hour left in the contest.The goal was Avire’s second in national-team colours, and means that Kenya top Group J with four points after two matches.##NAJAVA_MECA_8325617##Match ReportGoalkeeper Bryne Omondi was forced to his first real save of the first half after only three minutes as Prins Tjueza lashed his shot angled to the top-right corner in his direction.In hindsight, that was the first of two actual opportunities in the half, as Deon Hotto followed up the earlier attempt with a long-range shot that Omondi casually bounced off the surface and into his arms.Kenya, who seemed to control much of the proceedings in the opening quarter of an hour, felt lucky when Rooney Onyango’s challenge on Tjueza was adjudged to have happened just outside the box, with the ensuing freekick being deflected over the bar.LIVE BLOG: Harambee Stars secure maiden win in 2025 AFCON qualifiers against NamibiaOn the opposite end of the field, Jonah Ayunga, who was making his first senior team debut, smacked his rare shot inside the box straight to a defender, moments before Avire headed a Duke Abuya cross over.Anthony Akumu found himself in the referee’s book 10 minutes into the half when he caught Petrus Megameno, and Kenya was once again lucky when Hotto curled his freekick just wide off Omondi’s right-hand post.Perhaps Kenya’s best chance in the half came when Dundee United midfielder Richard Odada headed an Eric Ouma corner wide, ending a rather underwhelming opening 45 minutes.##NAJAVA_MECA_8326686##As if stressing why Kenya woke up on the right side of luck, Megameno was in the second minute of the second half unlucky not to have scored the opener when he pounced on a loose pass to Joseph Okumu.The winger, in space, directed his shot to the out-stretched arms of Omondi, before the ball struck the base of the post.Kenya then made their first chance of the half when Ayunga directed his shot straight at Loydt Kazapua, and when parried, Avire was there to pounce but whistled for a foul on the keeper.Seven minutes later, Harambee Stars players were celebrating on one corner of the field after witnessing Avire’s freekick catch out Kazapua.Gor Mahia confirm re-signing of winger who left in 2022It was Abuya who engineered the chance, having been hacked down by Charles Hambira just outside the 18-yard box.Namibia thought they had a chance to equalize moments later, as Tjueza was found free at the back post, only for his header to trickle wide.The Cape Town City winger then had a long-range effort deflected over the bar before Kenya found a way to break the Southern African hearts, with a devastating counter-attack.It all came from a Namibia corner kick on the left side that was cleared by expertly Okumu into the path of Ouma.With searing pace, Ouma strode down the field with two defenders in his wake, before laying off a pass to Abuya, who slammed his left-footed shot past Kazapua for a delightful second goal.Namibia would however have a consolation as Hotto curled his freekick straight into the bottom corner and past a rooted Odhiambo.Still not enough to dampen the Kenyan spirit.
