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Harambee Stars interim coach Francis Kimanzi has praised his players for playing according to instruction during their 2-0 win against Tanzania in their second match of the 2025 Mapinduzi Cup at Gombani Stadium in Zanzibar on Tuesday.

After a goalless first half, the game took a decisive turn in the second half. Boniface Muchiri broke the deadlock in the 55th minute, capitalizing on sustained pressure from the Kenyan side.

The second goal came in the 67th minute when youngster Ryan Ogam netted his first goal for the senior national team, sealing the victory.

“A good game, a good fight, a good show also from the players, so I think it is a very sweet win for the technical bench, the medical staff that also helped a lot to help the players recover very quickly after the first game,” said Kimanzi after the game.

“I think it is a win for the team, for the fans and also for the technical bench because at least the players worked for us and they tried to give us what we gave them, they followed the guidelines that we gave them, they kept the composure, which is very good, and also showed some character throughout the 90 minutes.”

On facing Zanzibar in the final group fixture, Kimanzi said: “That will be the toughest battle of all because we will be coming up against the hosts, they also have four points, we have four points but the difference only lies on the goals scored, but I think we are growing mentally.

“We are developing our character better after every match, the environment will also be different and that I know will really excite our players, I am looking forward to that particular one because I know we will give it a fight.”

Kimanzi further confirmed his intentions to rotate the squad for the Zanzibar fixture. “We have to rotate the squad because this is a select team and every player is ready and sometimes you have to give them a test run, and also to try to avoid injuries because this is an artificial pitch.”

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President Hussein Mohammed took his social media pages to congratulate the team for the deserved win.

“Congratulations to Kenya on the 2-0 win over Kilimanjaro Stars in the Mapinduzi Cup! A great response from the team, showing they have what it takes to go all the way,” Mohammed wrote.

“This tournament is a key part of our preparations for CHAN, and performances like this build the confidence needed for success. Well done The Harambee Stars!”

Kenya now sits atop the group with four points, level with Burkina Faso but leading on goal difference. The team will shift focus to their next match against hosts Zanzibar on Friday, January 10, 2025.

The game is set to kick off at 7:00 PM at the Gombani Stadium.

The Mapinduzi Cup offers Kenya a valuable opportunity to fine-tune preparations ahead of the upcoming CHAN tournament, which will be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania later this year.