Kenya’s Emerging Stars will seek to take an important step towards the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Under-23 finals when they host Côte d’Ivoire in the first leg of their second-round qualifying tie at Nyayo National Stadium on Wednesday, November 11.
Head coach Anthony Kimani has named his final squad for the two-legged contest, retaining much of the team that eliminated Tanzania in the opening round while welcoming back Celta Vigo B midfielder Aldrine Kibet and Swedish-based Humphrey Aroko.
Kibet, who missed the previous round while finalising his work permit in Spain, is among the notable additions to the squad. His return provides Kenya with another attacking option as they prepare to face a technically gifted Ivorian side.
However, Kimani will be without AFC Leopards midfielder Kelly Madada, who is suspended after accumulating two yellow cards, while defender Joseph Bate has been ruled out through injury.
The Emerging Stars will also have captain Kevin Wangaya, Andreas Odhiambo, Paul Osama and Lawrence Okoth, who were part of the team that secured Kenya’s progression from the first qualifying round.
Speaking ahead of the encounter, Kibet expressed confidence in Kenya’s ability to secure a positive result at home, urging supporters to turn out and back the team.
“This is a big game. Since we have home advantage, if the fans show up, we have a chance to get the win. We can then take that advantage to the second leg having won. The West African teams are big and have history, but we will be focusing on ourselves and how we approach the game. We believe we are on par in terms of ability, so we are confident we can win.”
The midfielder also described the competition as an important opportunity for players at the Under-23 level to develop and earn the chance to represent Kenya at next year's U-23 AFCON finals.
Kenya booked their place in the second round after edging Tanzania 5-4 on aggregate in a closely contested opening-round tie.
The Emerging Stars began with a commanding 4-1 victory at Nyayo National Stadium on September 28 before losing 3-1 in the return fixture at Uhuru Stadium in Dar es Salaam on October 6. Andreas Odhiambo scored the crucial goal in the second leg that ensured Kenya maintained their aggregate advantage.
Côte d’Ivoire, meanwhile, received a bye in the opening qualifying round and will be entering the competition at this stage. The Ivorians have named a 23-man squad featuring several players attached to European clubs.
Among the notable selections is forward Jocelin Ta Bi, who plays for English Championship side Sunderland, alongside Christ Tapé of French club Toulouse and Eddy Doué of Portuguese outfit Estrela Amadora. Both Tapé and Doué have previously featured for Côte d’Ivoire’s senior national team.
The first leg will kick off at 3pm East African Time, with Kenya hoping to establish an advantage before travelling to Abidjan for the return fixture on Tuesday, November 17. The second leg will be played at Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny, with kick-off scheduled for 10pm EAT.
The winner of the two-legged contest will advance to the third and final qualifying round, where seven teams will secure places alongside hosts Egypt at the 2027 U-23 AFCON finals.
Beyond continental qualification, the tournament will also determine Africa’s representatives at the men’s football competition of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, making progression an important objective for both sides.
