Algeria aim to outshine the Harambee Stars

by BackPageTXT

Friday Jun 21, 2019. 17:00

Algeria will do battle against Kenya in their 2019 Africa Cup of Nations Group C opener at 30 June Stadium in Cairo on Sunday evening.

Kick-off is at 22h00 CAT.

The Desert Foxes qualified for a fourth successive tournament after topping their qualifying group. Having underwhelmed at the last two tournaments, Algeria head into this year's competition as an outside favourite for the crown.

Algeria, who's only Afcon title came on home soil in 1990, crashed out in the group stages two years ago, while they suffered a quarter-final exit in Equatorial Guinea two years prior having entered both tournaments as among the favourites.

With the likes of Manchester City's Riyad Mahrez in their squad, Algeria will still be some people's pick to go all the way in Egypt, despite having fallen down to 12th place on the continent in the latest FIFA rankings.

Kenya booked their ticket to Egypt having finished behind Ghana in qualifying. The Harambee Stars, who are skippered by Tottenham Hotspur's Victor Wanyama, make a return to Africa's showpiece for the first time in 15 years.

Kenya are currently ranked at 105th in the world, notable behind countries like Mauritania and Niger.