Former Kenyan international Boniface Ambani believes Harambee Stars have what it takes to beat Russia in a friendly match Monday evening in Antalya, Turkey.
Ambani has advised Stars to be confident as they face Russia who are ranked 39th in the world.
“Whatever happens, a win against Russia will be a very big plus to Kenya. Players will be 11 vs 11 and so we just respect them but we should not fear them.
That is my message to Kenyans (Harambee Stars), it is all about believing in yourself and in our days we never went to face any team with fear but respecting everyone in the game of football”, said Ambani.
The former AFC Leopards player says the national team has had good preparation ahead of the Russia clash having recently played against Qatar and South Sudan in other friendly matches.
Similarly, Stars have camped in Turkey for close to a week in readiness for the match.
“They (Harambee Stars) have been in Turkey for about a week, they have been given everything and this is good preparation.
That exposure that the boys have been accorded should not go to waste. During our days whenever we went to play in World Cup Qualifiers or AFCON qualifiers we were given teams like Karuturi FC and Gor Mahia United for friendlies in preparation for those big matches.
So these boys should be thankful enough to have had these high-profiled matches for friendlies and should make us proud”, added Ambani.
It will be Kenya’s final test match ahead of the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers which kick off next month with Stars in group F alongside Ivory Coast, Gabon, Gambia, Burundi and Seychelles.
The match starts at 7pm Kenyan time.
