Zimbabwe will be hoping to book their place at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations when they face Kenya on matchday five of qualifying this Friday at the Peter Mokaba Stadium.
Owing to the Confederation of African Football ruling Zimbabwe's facilities as inadequate to host AFCON qualifier matches, this future will take place in Polokwane, South Africa.
Match preview
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After the bitter disappointment of being excluded from the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, Zimbabwe made an impressive return to the continental competition and can secure their participation in Morocco next year with a point or better in this match.
The Warriors have had a solid qualifying campaign to now, still unbeaten after the first four rounds, drawing their two September internationals before notching up back-to-back wins over Namibia last month.
One notable improvement the side have made under the guidance of Michael Nees, who took over as head coach at the end of July, has been their defensive solidity, having only conceded a single goal in this competition to date.
However, the Warriors' preparations for this match have not gone smoothly, as heavy rains swept across Polokwane this week, rendering their training pitch waterlogged, prohibiting any worthwhile exercises on Wednesday.
Still, needing just a point to progress and having several players in their squad who will be familiar with the environment and conditions due to plying their trade in South Africa, Zimbabwe will be fairly confident in their chances of punching their ticket to Morocco next year in this one.
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Meanwhile, Kenya, like Zimbabwe, were disqualified from the AFCON for the last edition, but made a very promising start to this qualifying campaign, taking three points from their first two games in September.
Unfortunately for the Harambee Stars, though, they were pitted against the formidable Cameroon last month, and lost both matches against the Indomitable Lions, 4-1 on the road and 1-0 in their 'home' fixture, which was held in neighbouring Uganda.
As a result, defeat in this match will mark the end of their qualification hopes, while a draw or win will see the second-place battle go down to the final match of the group when they face Namibia, while Zimbabwe will travel to take on Cameroon.
Engin Firat's side have lost their last two games on the road and have a record of five wins and five losses in their 10 away games, but they have never been beaten by this opponent in five previous encounters, winning three and drawing two.
Team News
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As of Tuesday evening all of Zimbabwe's players, with the exception of Tino Kadewere, had joined the squad in Polokwane and were pictured in light training the same evening.
Ahead of this match, there is a minor concern over the fitness of Munashe Garananga, who missed Superliga outfit Copenhagen's match against AGF over the weekend due to an injury.
For Kenya, Firat has made a few notable changes for this month's matches, starting in goal, where Patrick Matasi has been left out of the squad and replaced by Farouk Shikalo of KCB.
Aside from Matasi, Bristol City's Zak Vyner, as well as Gor Mahia, Geoffrey Ochieng, Alphonce Omija, Sylvester Owino and Chris Erambo have been dropped, while Amos Wanjala has earned his call-up to the national team.
Zimbabwe possible starting lineup:
Arubi; Murwira, Garananga, Takwara, Zemura; Nakamba, Munetsi, Dzvukamanja, Musona; Billiat; Mapfumo
Kenya possible starting lineup:
Odhiambo; Anyembe, Okumu, Omurwa, Ouma; Akumu, Abuya, Odada, Onyango; Olunga, Avire
We say: Zimbabwe 1-1 Kenya
Kenya were impressive in the first two rounds of this competition, and while they lost both matches last month, those were very tough fixtures against African giants Cameroon.
There was nothing to split these two in the reverse fixture in Kampala, and with this match being played at a neutral venue as well, we feel that another stalemate could be on the cards.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Devesh Jaganath
