Nairobi, Kenya | October 1, 2026

Harambee Stars have collected one point from their opening two matches in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying window after losing 1-0 to Guinea in Conakry on Thursday.

The defeat followed Kenya's 1-1 draw against Eritrea at Nyayo National Stadium on September 26, leaving Benni McCarthy's side with one point from the two matches.

Guinea secured victory through a single goal at Stade du 28 September, with the hosts holding on to claim all three points after a closely contested encounter.

Kenya had travelled to Conakry looking to recover from the draw against Eritrea, in which Ryan Ogam scored a late equaliser after the visitors had taken the lead.

The defeat in Guinea means Kenya completed the opening window without a victory, scoring once and conceding twice across the two matches.

Kenya are already guaranteed a place at the 2027 AFCON finals as one of the three co-hosts alongside Uganda and Tanzania. Their participation in the qualifiers is therefore also providing competitive preparation ahead of the tournament.

In Group D, the remaining teams are competing for the additional qualifying place available from the group. South Africa, Guinea and Eritrea are the three sides seeking that position, with Kenya's automatic qualification already secured.

South Africa currently lead the group after opening their campaign with a 2-1 victory over Guinea before recording a 5-0 win against Eritrea. Bafana Bafana therefore have six points from their opening two matches.

Kenya will return to Group D action in November when they face South Africa in a home-and-away double-header.

The first meeting is scheduled for November 11 in South Africa, with the return fixture set for November 15 in Nairobi.

The November matches will give McCarthy another opportunity to assess his squad against South Africa as Kenya continue their preparations for the 2027 tournament on home soil.

For Harambee Stars, the November double-header will provide another opportunity to build momentum and further prepare the squad for the continental tournament.