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IN CAIRO, EGYPT
Kenya coach Sebastien Migne looked all relaxed at his first official press conference of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in the New Cairo section of Egypt’s capital city on Saturday.
Was it because he wanted to look good for the camera? Or perhaps he knew he would be fielding some questions in French, his mother tongue? Or maybe he had something up his sleeve that only he knew on the eve of Kenya’s much anticipated Group C opening match against favourites Algeria.
His opening statement was revealing: “Algeria is a good team. We respect them, but we will fight. We will make it very difficult for them.”
After all the training, all the talk and all the exchanges Migne has had with many who have questioned his selection, the rubber will hit the road on Sunday when Harambee Stars meet the Desert Foxes for the first time in the African finals. The two sides clash at 10pm local time (11pm Kenyan time) at the 30 June Stadium in Cairo.
Other meetings have of course taken place the most famous – from Kenyans standpoint – on June 2, 1996 when Harambee Stars hammered the Algerians 3-1 in Nairobi on their way to eliminating the Desert Foxes from the 1998 World Cup qualifiers.
In most other meetings Algeria have had the upper hand and Kenya captain Victory Wanyama is only too aware of that cold, hard fact.
“Algeria are a very good team. We are aware of their threat,” said Wanyama, in his usual soft-speaking manner that belies a rugged, competitive player.
Algerian coach Djamel Belmadi warned they would be looking for a great start and would not take the game easily against the underdogs.
“Kenya is a tough team. It will not be an easy game. We know Kenya perfectly. They defend well. They are good and we have prepared for them.”
Migne said there were no injury problems in his side but they would be cautious with the electric Ayub Timbe who has come back from knee surgery.
Timbe showed his abilities with that mesmerising, half the length of the pitch run before feeding lead striker Michael Olunga for Kenya’s goal in their 1-1 build-up match draw against DR Congo in Madrid on June 15.
Olunga will certainly lead the Stars attack as he looks to become the first Kenyan to score more than two goals at the Nations Cup.
But it is in defence that Kenya will have to be at their best. Algeria have Manchester City forward Riyad Mahrez, who is the team captain, Fenerbahce’s Islam Slimani and red-hot Al Sadd striker Baghdad Bounedjah who scored a record 39 goals in the 2018-19 Qatar Stars League.
In the absence of injured Brian Mandela, Joash Onyango, Musa Mohammed, Aboud Omar, Eric Ouma, Joseph Okumu, David Owino and Philemon Otieno will be called up to effectively fill up that backline and face one of Africa’s best attacking team.
