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Kenya vs Eritrea: Harambee Stars seek to rewrite H2H record in AFCON 2027 qualifier
26th September, 2026 07:48 AM
Kenya’s Harambee Stars will be looking to overcome a difficult recent head-to-head record when they face Eritrea in their opening Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifier at Nyayo National Stadium on Saturday, September 26, 2026.
The Group D encounter, scheduled for 4:00 pm EAT, will see the two sides meet for the first time since December 2019, when Eritrea stunned Kenya with a 4-1 victory in the CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup semi-final.
The previous meeting remains a painful one for Harambee Stars, who were unable to respond after Eritrea took control of the match. Kenya managed only one goal, while the Red Sea Camels found the net four times to secure a convincing victory.
Before that encounter, the two nations had met twice in the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.
Eritrea claimed two wins in 2006-07 AFCON qualifiers
The first of those meetings was played in Nairobi on September 2, 2006, with Eritrea securing a 2-1 away victory.
Kenya were unable to make home advantage count as Eritrea left with all three points in the Group 6 encounter.
The return fixture followed in Eritrea on June 16, 2007, and the Red Sea Camels again emerged victorious, this time recording a narrow 1-0 win.
The two results gave Eritrea a clean sweep over Kenya in their 2006-07 qualifying meetings, scoring three goals and conceding just one across the two matches.
2019 defeat added to Kenya’s concerns
The 4-1 CECAFA defeat in 2019 made it three successive victories for Eritrea in the most recent meetings between the sides.
Across those three matches, Eritrea scored seven goals while Kenya managed just two.
However, the broader historical record is less one-sided. Records of the teams’ meetings show that Kenya have also recorded several victories over Eritrea in earlier CECAFA encounters, including wins in 2001 and 2003.
Overall, the teams have faced each other multiple times, with historical records differing slightly on the number of recognised encounters. One database lists 10 meetings, with Kenya winning five, Eritrea three and one ending in a draw, while the listed results include the 2019 4-1 Eritrean victory and the two 2006-07 AFCON qualifying wins.
Different stakes for the two teams
Saturday’s match comes with an unusual qualification situation because Kenya are co-hosts of AFCON 2027 alongside Uganda and Tanzania and have already secured a place at next year’s tournament.
Nevertheless, Harambee Stars are competing in Group D alongside Eritrea, South Africa and Guinea, with the campaign providing head coach Benni McCarthy with competitive matches as he continues building his squad ahead of the finals.
Eritrea, meanwhile, are competing for the qualification place available from the group. The Red Sea Camels reached the group stage after defeating Eswatini 4-1 on aggregate in the preliminary round, winning both legs.
The contrasting circumstances mean Kenya will be seeking more than just three points when they take on Eritrea. A victory would also give McCarthy’s side an opportunity to improve a recent H2H record that has favoured their opponents.
For Eritrea, another positive result against Kenya would extend their dominance in the latest encounters and provide an early boost in their bid to secure a place at the 2027 continental finals.
The last three meetings have all gone Eritrea’s way. Kenya will therefore enter Saturday’s clash aiming to end that run and begin a new chapter in the rivalry on home soil.
