Kerr tells Kenya not to blow chance against Ethiopia

The last time Harambee Stars reached the Afcon finals was way back in 2004 in Tunis, Tunisia under coach Jacob ‘Ghost’ Mulee

Gor Mahia coach Dylan Kerr has asked Kenya not to blow the chance they have to reach the 2019 Afcon finals set for Cameroon.

Harambee Stars will face Ethiopia for the second time in four days knowing that a win will improve their chances of making it to final since 2004.

In the first leg played at Bahir Dar Stadium, Kenya withstood a tough second half surge by the home side pushed on by a full-to-capacity stadium to pick up a vital point, in a 0-0 draw, that pushed them closer to Cameroon.

And coach Kerr, who won a second Kenyan Premier League title with Gor Mahia last season, is now urging the national team not to blow away the hard work they have achieved so far in Group F that also has Ghana and Sierra Leone.

“Don’t blow it…the hard work in Ethiopia to get that point away is history, now make a future for the good of Kenyan football and for the Kenyan people by winning at home,” Kerr told Goal in an interview.

“The team have given themselves the best chance of qualifying for the Afcon finals and their focus must be to keep a clean sheet, no goals conceded and try finish the job. I pray not only for my players but the whole squad to see the big prize awaiting them and to make Kenyan football very proud.”

Gor Mahia have a number of players in the Kenyan squad among them midfield star Francis Kahata and defender Joash Onyango, who is set to return to the squad, after missing the first leg fixture owing to suspension.