2022 World Cup Qualifiers: Harambee Stars need practice matches - Aduda

Gor Mahia sporting director Omondi Aduda believes Kenya can perform better in the remaining 2022 World Cup qualifiers with proper preparatory matches.

The Harambee Stars started their campaign with a stalemate at home against Uganda last Thursday, before settling to a 1-1 draw away to Rwanda on Monday.

Prior to their first Group E match, the Cranes had played Ethiopia in a friendly match and lost 2-1.

This was after Amavubi managed to play a double-header build-up match against the Central African Republic and secured an aggregate 7-0 win. However, it was not the same case with Kenya, as the administrator explains.

What did Aduda say?

"After Sunday's result, we have a two-point drift between us [Kenya] and Mali. A lot needs to be done for Stars to get a positive outcome in the forthcoming matches," the Gor Mahia official told Goal.

"The day they made a decision to relieve [Francis] Kimanzi and bring [Jacob 'Ghost'] Mulee, I believe, in their wisdom, they did that in good faith. They need to have proper preparations ahead of the remaining World Cup qualifiers. 

"Stars need preparatory matches; while others were playing meaningful build-up matches, Kenya played against Tusker and won by a solitary goal courtesy of a Tusker player [Boniface Muchiri] as well.

"From the two matches [against Uganda and Rwanda], we can gauge where our weaknesses are and what needs to be done. Then the deciding trajectory will be very clear with the double-header against Mali."

Mulee optimistic despite consecutive draws 

Meanwhile, Harambee Stars head coach Jacob Mulee insists the team is still in the race to Qatar despite failing to get maximum points away to Nyamirambo Stadium in Rwanda last weekend.

Kenya are second with two points, with Uganda and Rwanda following while Mali are at the summit with four.

"It is our second game and Rwanda is a good side and we have seen the way they played in the second half, they enjoyed the pace and possession but I think we scored the first goal then we lost concentration and conceded from a corner to allow them into the game,” Mulee told Goal. 

"But we also looked into the game; we created a lot of chances mostly from our captain, yes he scored a goal but he also had other opportunities to score a second goal and we can blame this draw on lack of utilising our chances in this game.

"Otherwise it is not fair because looking at both sides not having won their first games and coming back to Rwanda and we pick up a point, it is tight but we are still in the race for the World Cup, it is just not done yet, so we are still on, two games played and we go to Morocco for the Mali game and that will determine which way it will go."