Kenya host DRC eyeing victory

by Phumzile Ngcatshe

Sunday Mar 26, 2017. 10:00

The Kenyan national side will be out to cause an upset when they host Democratic Republic of Congo on Sunday in an international friendly.

The highly awaited international friendly could produce a major shock as the Harambee Stars will hope to get a win at home.

Kenya will meet the Leopards after an international friendly against their neighbours, Uganda on Thursday which ended in a 1-1 draw.

Although they have not been busy since last November as they defeated Liberia and Mozambique 1-0, the mission is to return to winning ways against Florent Ibenge's side.

The Samuel Okumbi-coached team has been boosted by the availability of their star player in Victor Wanyama from Tottenham Hotspur.

To the visitors, Ibenge wants nothing from his charges, but a win away to ensure they are revived from their 2017 CAF African Cup of Nations in Gabon.

They qualified for the knockout stages in Gabon, but lost 2-1 to the Black Stars of Ghana in the quarter-finals having bagged two wins and one draw in the group stages.

Having lost an opportunity to reach the semi-finals, DRC will want to bag a win and ensure they are on the right path ahead of the 2019 Afcon Qualifiers en route to Cameroon.

They open their qualifying campaign at home against Congo in June and that match is set to test their character as a team.

However, this friendly encounter against Kenya is set to get underway at 14:00 at Jomo Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos.