Harambee Stars face Guinea in their second Group D match of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign on Thursday, with both sides searching for their first victory after disappointing opening results. The match will kick off at 7 p.m. East African Time at the Stade du 28 Septembre in Conakry.
Kenya began their campaign with a 1–1 draw against Eritrea at Nyayo National Stadium last week, while Guinea suffered a 2–1 defeat to South Africa in their opening fixture. The results left Kenya and Eritrea with one point each, while South Africa moved to the top of the group with three points.
The Stars will be hoping for a stronger display in Guinea after struggling to convert their opportunities against Eritrea. Kenya fell behind after Nahom Girmai Netabay capitalised on a defensive mistake in the first half before Ryan Ogam rescued a point with an 86th-minute equaliser.
Coach Benni McCarthy has backed his players to respond in Conakry and warned against expecting Kenya to be overwhelmed by the home side. The coach has also had additional time to prepare his squad after the disrupted build-up to the Eritrea fixture.
Kenya’s preparations for the opening match were affected by a dispute over unpaid player allowances, which resulted in the team missing important training sessions. The Stars have since trained in Conakry, including a final session at the match venue on Wednesday.
The task will nevertheless be difficult because Guinea possess several players based in European leagues. Borussia Dortmund striker Serhou Guirassy is among the players Kenya’s defence will have to monitor closely, while Guinea will also benefit from playing in front of its home supporters.
Despite the pressure surrounding the fixture, Kenya already have a guaranteed place at the 2027 AFCON finals because they are one of the tournament’s three co-hosts alongside Uganda and Tanzania. The qualifying matches are therefore providing McCarthy with competitive games to assess his squad and build towards next year’s tournament.
The encounter also carries historical significance. Kenya and Guinea have met eight times, with each side recording four victories. However, Kenya have not won on Guinean soil in those previous meetings, all of which came in World Cup qualifying.
For McCarthy, the immediate task is to improve Kenya’s attacking efficiency while tightening the defence that was exposed against Eritrea. Guinea, meanwhile, will be equally determined to recover from their opening defeat and collect their first points of the campaign.
With both teams entering the match without a win, the Conakry encounter promises to be a demanding test for the Stars and an opportunity for Kenya to show progress under McCarthy as preparations for AFCON 2027 continue.
