With Harambee Stars unable to book a ticket to the 2022 World Cup, skipper Michael Olunga says focus has turned to redeeming their image from the remaining qualifying matches. Stars blew their chances of advancing to the second phase of the qualifiers after failing to register a win in the four group E matches played thus far.Stars opened their qualification campaign with a barren draw against Uganda Cranes at Nyayo Stadium before playing Rwanda to a one all draw in the subsequent match. The team was served bitter football lessons in the third game after going down 5-0 away to Mali who also reaped a 1-0 win at Nyayo in the return match.Stars are scheduled to face Uganda in the return match on Thursday in Kampala before wrapping the qualification campaign at home against Rwanda next week in Nairobi.Here’s coach Engin Firat’s provisional squad for the upcoming FIFA World Cup Qualifiers against the @UgandaCranes and the @RwandaAmavubi🔗 https://t.co/zLJfVpTa63#Tunawezahttps://t.co/zLJfVpTa63— Harambee Stars (@Harambee__Stars) November 1, 2021 Ahead of the clash with Cranes, Olunga who inherited the armband from the retired Victor Wanyama says the players are determined to plant a smile on the face of Kenyans at long last.“We have to make the nation proud by giving our best. Of course we have to redeem ourselves from the results we registered against Mali and the preceding qualifier matches,” said the Qatar based forward shortly after the training session at Nyayo.Olunga who predicted a tough outing against the neighbours owing to the existing rivalry further challenged the team to gift the fans the opportunity to celebrate a home win in a competitive and major qualifier match since 2018.##NAJAVA_MECA_5958044##The last time Stars won a qualifier match was in October 2018 beating Ethiopia 3-0 in a fully packed Kasarani Stadium to confirm their qualification to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations finals.#TBTOn a day like this, three years ago, we beat Ethiopia 🇪🇹 3-0 to qualify for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.Who was your favorite in this lineup? pic.twitter.com/8Hq8XvJ70H— Harambee Stars (@Harambee__Stars) October 14, 2021 “Playing against Uganda has always been tough considering that they have a chance to proceed to the next round but we are ready for them. We have a good team that has a blend of young and experienced players and we have to give the fans a satisfying result,” said the former Gor Mahia attacker.Mali who are unbeaten top pool E with ten points, two ahead of Cranes. Kenya is placed third with two points, while Rwanda sit at the rock bottom of the log with a point.
