Remembering the Harambee Stars team that faced Iran 13 years ago
By Vincent Voiyoh, March 27, 2023When Harambee Stars players match into the pitch tomorrow through the tunnel of the historical Azadi Stadium in Tehran, it will mark 498 days since Kenya last played an international game.
The Kenyan boys will once again savor another inimitable moment of donning the national colors and proud singing of our anthem in front of a charged mass.
This will be the third time Kenya is facing a regular World Cup team, Iran, who thrashed Wales 2-0 in last year’s tournament staged in Qatar.
Kenya went down 3-0 in the premier encounter against the former Asian winners in April 1997 in Tehran.
The Harambee Stars would return to the Iranian capital again in 2009 for a build- up game before facing Tunisia in the 2010 World Cup qualifiers under a newly appointed German coach Antoine Hey.
Kenya lost narrowly (1-0) courtesy of a 54th minute penalty, converted by Hossein Kazami.
Former Harambee Stars midfielder Titus Mulama remembers the trip in Tehran after he was included in a 20-man squad by coach Hey.
Mulama who has 71 caps for the national team recalls how they ended up wearing yellow jerseys for the game instead of the traditional colors of white, green, black and red.
“Yes, we wore yellow uniforms for that game. If I remember well there was a clash of the jerseys with the host team. Our delegation had to get an option so as to have something to put on and that is how we played in yellow without our crest but a name Kenya printed on the chests.
“The stadium was full to capacity and the atmosphere in Tehran before the game was epic. Those people love football for sure. We had a good squad and we enjoyed the game only that we lost concentration to concede a penalty early in the second half and that could have been due to the high tension in Harambee Stars camp since there was a crop of new players being introduced,” Mulama told People Daily Sport.
Another player who did make the cut for the trip to Tehran is retired defender Jockins Atudo who has 59 caps for Kenya.
The two-time Kenya Premier League winner also recalls the memories of that game, thirteen years ago.
“Our team was in good shape under new coach Hey. We really gave our all in that match despite the loss. When our boys play tomorrow again, they should just focus on the game plan and they can as well give a better show,” a candid Atudo said.
Coach Hey trusted ex-Sher Karuturi custodian in his starting eleven while John Njoroge, Mulinge Ndeto, Julius Owino and Atudo manned the defense.
Kenya’s midfield was martialled by teenager Victor Wanyama, Peter Opiyo Pinchez, Titus Mulama and Austin Makacha while the frontline was left for Hillary Echesa who was based in Vietnam at that time.
Joseph Njuguna,Fred Ajwanga and Anthony Dafaa managed to get some minutes in the second half as substitutes.