- The Harambee Stars vs Gabon game will be played on Sunday (1600EAT) at Nyayo Stadium.
- It will mark the first time Harambee Stars play at home since 2021.
- Aubameyang missed Gabon’s recent win against Seychelles on Thursday.
Former Arsenal and Barcekona star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is set to be one of the faces to look out for when Harambee Stars host Gabon in a crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier set to take place at a sold-out Nyayo Stadium this weekend.
Aubameyang arrived with the Gabonese squad in Nairobi on Friday ahead of the encounter that will mark the first time the team will be playing at home since their last competitive fixture that took place in 2021 – a World Cup qualifier against Rwanda at the same venue.
Some of the football fans were not certain if the 2015 African footballer of the year would play against Harambee Stars since he was nowhere to be seen in Gabon’s recent tie against Seychelles.
Why Aubameyang missed Gabon’s win over Seychelles
However, Aubameyang was ineligible to play in that game since he was suspended due to yellow cards accumulation after receiving two consecutive bookings in Gabon’s matches against Ivory Coast and Gambia.
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What to expect in Harambee Stars vs Gabon tie
The former Marseille man is expected to play an influential role in the game where a win will move Gabon a step closer to booking a ticket to the upcoming World Cup.
Gabon occupies the second position in Group F with 12 points at the moment, one less than Ivory Coast, who defeated Burundi 1-0 on Friday.
The West African side, which has never qualified for a FIFA World Cup tournament, will prepare for Sunday’s showdown on the back of a comfortable 3-0 victory over Seychelles.
The Les Panthères scored their goals through Denis Bouanga (brace) and France based winger Jim Allevinah.
On the other hand, Kenya head into the highly anticipated match with a morale-boosting 3-3 draw with Gambia.
The Benni McCarthy-tutored team won the hearts of many people when they came back from behind to secure a crucial point.
Harambee Stars, who are ranked fourth in the six-team standings with six points, played entertaining football particularly in the final stages of that match with their goals coming courtesy of William Lenkupae, Mohammed Bajaber and Michael Olunga.
Meanwhile, the duo of Yankuba Minteh and Musa Barrow found the back of the net for Gambia with the latter bagging a majestic brace.
Although Kenya’s chances of qualifying for the global showpiece diminished after that draw, they are expected to give their all against Gabon and make their fans proud.
Therefore, Aubameyang and his teammates should prepare for a difficult game where they will play in front of a sold-out stadium.
The last time Harambee Stars played in front of a packed crowd was in October 2018 during a 2019 AFCON qualifier against Ethiopia at Moi Kasarani Stadium where they won 3-0.
Some of these Kenyan supporters have watched Aubameyang score goals for their beloved clubs in Europe in the past, hence the match will also offer them a golden opportunity to catch the 35-year-old live in action.