Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy has warned Guinea that Kenya will not be an easy opponent when the two sides meet in their second Group D match of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers in Conakry on Thursday.
Kenya will face Guinea at Stade du 28 Septembre from 7pm EAT, looking to respond after opening their qualifying campaign with a disappointing 1-1 draw against Eritrea at Nyayo National Stadium.
Although Kenya are already guaranteed a place at the 2027 AFCON as co-hosts alongside Tanzania and Uganda, McCarthy has maintained that his side will approach the qualifiers seriously as they continue to build a competitive team ahead of the tournament.
The Harambee Stars coach is fully aware of the quality possessed by Guinea and the threat posed by their talented squad. However, McCarthy believes Kenya can get a positive result if his players remain focused and avoid costly mistakes.
“I always try to teach my players when you play the likes of Guinea, Cameroon, Ivory Coast or the good world-class West African teams, you know if you are 100 percent prepared and 100 percent focused on the game, one small mistake because they have really quality players that can win you by one mistake,” McCarthy said.
“For us, the plan is to have the most perfect match where we don’t make any mistake and if they are to beat us, they must play the best game that they will have because beating us is not going to be easy.”
The former Bafana Bafana striker knows that Guinea will be looking to make full use of their home advantage, but he wants his players to remain disciplined throughout the contest.
“We just have to be very organized and no mistakes and then we will have a chance because if you make mistakes against teams like Guinea, they’ll punish you,” he added.
One of the biggest talking points ahead of the match is how Kenya will deal with Guinea striker Serhou Guirassy.
The Borussia Dortmund forward is among the most recognised players in the Guinea squad, but McCarthy does not want his players to become overly focused on stopping him at the expense of the rest of the team.
“We are aware of the quality players that Guinea have. I think Guinea is a team that don’t consist of only one really good player,” McCarthy explained.
“Guirassy is playing in Dortmund and everybody knows the quality that he has, but there are many other players in the team that also have good quality. For us to only focus on one player then it will be the biggest mistake that we will make. I think we prepare for the team in general.”
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The match also presents an opportunity for Kenya’s emerging players to make an impression, with youngster Mansur Okwaro eager to help the team secure maximum points.
Okwaro believes the players and technical bench are united in their determination to produce a strong performance for the country.
“It is another game to play and showcase our talent, for the nation. As players, the coaching staff and everyone, we are going to give our best. The aim for us is to win the game and have the maximum points back home,” Okwaro said.
Kenya currently share Group D with Guinea, South Africa and Eritrea, with the Stars heading into Thursday’s encounter looking to put their opening-day draw behind them and collect their first three points of the qualifying campaign.