Gor Mahia ace Alpha Onyango rallies fans ahead of Madagascar clash
By Luke Oluoch, August 20, 2025Harambee Stars anchorman Alpha Onyango has implored Kenyan fans to extend their support to the team as the African Nations Championship resumes action on Friday, August 22, 2025, with the quarterfinal ties.
In a pre-match interview on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, before the clash against Madagascar scheduled for Friday, Onyango stated that the presence of the home supporters has been crucial in the results posted by the team so far.
He noted that the rousing atmosphere created by the fans will once again be needed as Kenya embarks on their knockout phases with the clash against the Islanders at the Moi Sports Centre, Kasarani.
Immense support
“We need them for this game; it is a quarterfinal, and their presence will be needed. Their support has been immense, and we will need it again come Friday. We promise to give our best,” he stated.
Onyango, who was voted as the man of the match in Kenya’s opening clash against DR Congo, further spoke on the unity among the team as crucial to Kenya’s fairytale run in the competition.
“For us, it is an honour to represent the country this far. The support from the fans has been crucial to our run so far. I want to encourage them to continue to support us wherever they are and offer their support,” he stated.
Team targets
The midfield enforcer also revealed that the team remained focused on recording positive results to continue their progression to the subsequent stages of the biennial continental championship.
“Our target is to win the game and see how far we can reach in this tournament. I believe come Friday we will be victorious in the match,” he added.
Onyango’s plea to fans, however comes after the ticket prices for the quarterfinals tie against Madagascar were revised upwards.
Change in ticket prices
Ticketing organisers on Monday, August 19, 2025, updated the pricing for the highly anticipated knockout fixture.
According to the new changes, the regular tickets will now retail at Ksh250, up from the Ksh200 charged during the group stage. The move comes as demand continues to rise, with the Harambee Stars’ strong showing in the competition expected to draw massive crowds.
The development comes amid Kenya serving CAF restrictions of allowing only 27,000 fans during Harambee Stars matches at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani. On Sunday, August 17, 2025, only 26,000 fans got the opportunity to attend the final Group A match pitting Harambee Stars and Zambia at the same venue.
The decision to increase ticket prices comes at a time when the tournament organisers are making an effort to control the crowd that has been breaching security protocol during match days.