Harambee Stars test their mettle against AFCON-bound Equatorial Guinea
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Reading Time: 2min | Fri. 14.11.25. | 07:22
The two sides last met on 28 May 2018, in a friendly which Kenya won 1-0 courtesy of a 73rd-minute strike from Piston Mutamba
The Harambee Stars take on Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON)–bound Equatorial Guinea in a friendly match today, Friday, 14 November, at the Emirhan Sports Center in Antalya, Turkey.
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Kick-off is set for 1800 hours.
Kenya, which missed out on both the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2025 AFCON, is using the international window to build a competitive squad ahead of the 2027 AFCON, where it will feature as co-host alongside Tanzania and Uganda.
Equatorial Guinea, meanwhile, is sharpening its form ahead of the 2025 AFCON, scheduled to run from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026, in Morocco.
The Harambee Stars enter the fixture with two wins from their last five games, victories over Burundi and Seychelles, both sides ranked below Kenya in the FIFA standings.
The National Thunder have also struggled, winning just once in their previous five outings and heading into today’s match on a three-game winless streak.
Despite their poor run, Equatorial Guinea’s qualification for the 2025 AFCON injects motivation into the squad as players fight to secure places in the final team for Morocco.
The Central Africans are also attempting to turn the page on recent controversies.
They won two matches in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers but were later stripped of the results after fielding an ineligible player.
Their troubles deepened when players and technical staff failed to travel for a crucial qualifier against Malawi, citing poor conditions and unmet financial obligations by the Ministry of Sports.
The no-show earned them a 3-0 defeat.
Had the forfeited results stood, they would have accumulated 20 points, enough to reach the knockout stage as one of the best second-placed teams.
For Kenya, coach Benni McCarthy has injected fresh blood into the squad, handing several players their maiden national team call-ups while omitting senior figures, including captain Michael Olunga.
The match offers newcomers an ideal stage to make their case and gives McCarthy a valuable opportunity to assess his options.
The two sides last met on 28 May 2018, in a friendly, which Kenya won 1-0 courtesy of a 73rd-minute strike from Piston Mutamba.
Gor Mahia defender Mike Kibwage is the only player in the current squad who featured in that match.
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