The Harambee Stars, who are seeking their first-ever appearance in the global competition, scheduled to take place from June 11th to July 19th, 2026, will be hoping to collect maximum points from the matchday five Group F fixture.
When is the game between Gambia and Kenya?
The fixture between Gambia’s Scorpion and Harambee Stars will be played on Thursday, March 20th at Alassane Ouattara Ebimpe Olympic Stadium. This is because Gambia, who are the home team, don’t have a stadium approved by the world governing body FIFA or Confederation of African Football (CAF) to stage high-standard matches.
Alassane Ouattara Stadium, commonly known as the Olympic Stadium of Ebimpe and formerly as the National Stadium of the Ivory Coast, is a multi-purpose stadium in Ebimpe and Anyama, in northern Abidjan and was opened in 2020.
The stadium hosts major football matches including home matches of the Ivory Coast national football team. Alassane Ouattara Stadium, which is owned by the Government of Ivory Coast, has a capacity of 60,000 seats, and it is the largest stadium in Ivory Coast and one of the most modern stadiums in Africa.
Where can you watch the game on TV?
With the game kicking off at 22:00 EAT (20:00 CET), no TV channel in Kenya has secured rights to air the fixture. However, the fixture will be live on SuperSport TV.
Kenya’s journey so far in the qualifiers
For a start, this will be the first game in charge for new Kenyan coach Benni McCarthy. The South African legend took over the vacant role to replace Engin Firat, who had handled Harambee Stars in the first opening four matches in the group.
Kenya’s journey began on a sour note after they suffered a 2-1 defeat against Gabon at Stade de Franceville on November 16th, 2023. During the fixture, the Panthers had to come from behind to carry the day, after Kenya had taken the lead courtesy of Masoud Juma in the 40th minute.
However, Denis Bouanga and Guelor Kanga replied for Gabon in the 60th and 88th minutes for the opening win. Kenya’s second match was against Seychelles at Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny, and the East African nation avenged the Gabon defeat by thrashing the Islanders 5-0.
Al Duhail SC striker Michael Olunga led the way for Kenya, scoring a brace in the third and sixth minutes before Masoud Juma made it 3-0 before the half-time break. Further goals from Rooney Onyango in the 66th minute and substitute Benson Omalla in the 73rd minute earned Kenya their first win in the qualification campaign.
Matchday three, in which Kenya were the home team, was played away at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe, Malawi, and it was against Burundi. Kenya had to secure an alternative venue because their main stadiums - Kasarani and Nyayo Stadium - were undergoing renovation work in readiness to co-host the 2024 Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) and the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Against the Swallows, after a 0-0 outcome in the first half, Harambee Stars took the lead when Duke Abuya scored from a free-kick in the 72nd minute but Burundi snatched a draw when Sudi Abdallah capitalised on a defensive mistake to slot past goalkeeper Patrick Matasi and deny Kenya maximum points.
The fourth match was against African champions Ivory Coast at the same venue, and despite Kenya dominating they settled for a 0-0 draw. Meanwhile, for Gambia, and just like Kenya, they kicked off their campaign with a 3-2 defeat against Burundi at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Tanzania.
After Burundi, they hosted Ivory Coast at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium and suffered a second successive defeat after going down 2-0 courtesy of second-half goals from Christian Kouame and Seko Fofana. However, they bounced back on matchday three to humiliate Seychelles 5-1 with Muhammed Badamosi notching a brace and Musa Barrow, Yankuba Minteh, and Adam Sidibeh joining the scorers’ list.
Gambia then travelled to Stade de Franceville for matchday four, where they suffered a 3-2 defeat against Gabon. Jim Allevinah, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Bouanga scored for the Panthers while Minteh and substitute Ebou Adams were on target for Gambia.
Team News
Gambia coach Jonathan McKinstry, who won two Kenyan Premier League titles with Gor Mahia before he left to take up the vacant role at Gambia, has named the final squad with Brighton & Hove Albion winger Yankuba Minteh headlining the list.
Other notable players in the Scorpions’ list include former Bologna forward Musa Barrow, Norway-born defender Sheriff Sinyan, who plies his trade with Romanian top tier side CFR Cluj, and Tanzanian side Azan FC forward Gibril Sillah.
Gambia full squad
Goalkeepers: Ebrima Jarju, Sheikh Sibi, Musa Dibaga.
Defenders: Omar Colley, Omar Gaye, Lars Joseph Ceesay, Sheriff Sinyan, Dadi Dadou Gaye, Mamadou Lion Njie.
Midfielders: Saikou Touray, Ebrima Adams, Abubakar Barry, Alassana Manneh, Mahmudu Bajo, Ebrima Darboe, Ablie Jallow.
Forwards: Musa Barrow, Alieu Fadera, Gibril Sillah, Yankuba Minteh, Abdoulie Sanyang, Ali Sowe, Abdoulie Ceesay, Alassana Jaffa.
Meanwhile, Kenya’s McCarthy will travel for the fixture with 25 players, led by captain Olunga, while defenders Joseph Okumu of French Ligue 1 side Reims, Brian Mandela of Stellensbosch in South Africa and Rooney Onyango of Gor Mahia making the list.
Kenya full squad
Goalkeepers: Ian Otieno, Brian Bwire, Faruk Shikhalo.
Defenders: Joseph Okumu, Jonstone Omurwa, Brian Mandela, Collins Sichenje, Daniel Anyembe, Amos Nondi, Erick Ouma, Manzur Okwaro, Ronny Onyango.
Midfielders: Anthony Akumu, Richard Odada, Ismael Gonzalez, Timothy Ouma, Eric Johana, Duke Abuya, Mohammed Bajaber, Ben Stanley Omondi.
Forwards: Michae Olunga, Masud Juma, Jonah Ayunga, Elvis Rupia, and John Avire.
What are coaches saying?
Kenya coach McCarthy remained confident of beating Gambia so as to close the gap between them and group leaders Ivory Coast.
“Our first priority is the Gambia game. That is our first priority, so hopefully we can get a team ready and to go out there and fight and just bring pride to the Kenyan nation, and then we can build on from there to Gabon,” McCarthy told Flashscore in a previous interview.
“If we beat Gabon, then we can hopefully say we’re on a good path, on a good way to fulfil the ultimate dream and that’s you know salvage the group stages and hopefully that we can catch Ivory Coast at number one.”
He continued: “It is going to be hard work but I think the talent and the quality that the team has speaks for itself so you know it’s just a matter of time when you get it right and things go perfect and then I think everybody will be proud of the team that they will support.”
For McKinstry, he is worried about facing a Kenyan side under McCarthy, insisting he anticipates a more attacking game.
“Kenya is an interesting one because Kenya for the last five years, they have drawn a lot of football matches, I think in their last 20 games, they have drawn 10 of them, they have lost six of the last 20 competitive but a lot of draws,” McKinstry told Flashscore.
“If you had asked me six months ago, I would say we were expecting a Kenyan team, who will settle on a low block, defend and try to win off a corner or set-pieces, that is what the former coach’s strategy was, he didn’t really let the team come out and play.
“But now it is a new coach, it is a new era in Kenyan football, Benni has obviously taken over recently and, historically, Benni’s teams, if you look at his teams in South Africa whether it was AmaZulu, whether it was Cape Town City, his teams have historically wanted to press more, wanted to be more attacking.”
So far in the group, Kenya are sitting fourth with five points from four matches, Ivory Coast are leading with 10 points, Gabon second with nine points, Burundi third with seven, while Gambia are fifth with three points.
Follow the game with Flashscore.
