Emerging Stars coach Anthony Kimani reckons his charges have enough firepower, character and belief to finish the job against Ivory Coast in Abidjan on Tuesday and bring Kenya a step closer to the 2027 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations finals.
He wants his young guns to carry the Nairobi thunder into West Africa, where another commanding display could turn their narrow first-leg advantage into a golden ticket to the next qualifying round.
The Emerging Stars head to Abidjan clutching a precious 2-1 lead after Wednesday's pulsating showdown at Nyayo National Stadium, where Henry Omollo and Andreas Odhiambo came off the bench to turn the tide with second-half strikes and send the home faithful into delirium.
But the battle lines are being redrawn. The Nairobi noise has faded, and a different kind of storm awaits in Abidjan. Ivory Coast will have home advantage, a roaring crowd in their backyard and a bitter taste of defeat to wash away. Kenya must be ready to withstand the heat without surrendering their attacking bite.
Kimani has described the return encounter as a Herculean task, but the Kenyan tactician is encouraged by the way his players dug deep to overturn the deficit in Nairobi. He wants that fighting spirit to travel with them across the continent.
"I am glad we were able to identify our peak moments and capitalise on them to beat a formidable opponent. It is a two-legged tie, and the game is far from over. Hopefully, we can keep our dream alive of going to the Olympics," Kimani said.
However, beneath the sparkle of that comeback victory lies a defensive headache the coach cannot afford to ignore. Kenya have shown they can hurt opponents, but their backline has also left the door open on many occasions.
The Emerging Stars conceded four goals across their two-legged first-round duel against Tanzania before escaping with a 5-4 aggregate victory. Against an Ivorian attack expected to come charging from the opening whistle, such defensive generosity could invite trouble.
"Conceding four goals across two matches is an aspect of our game we need to fix, and fix very, very fast," Kimani said, sounding the alarm over his team's vulnerability at the back.
The technical bench is also racing against the clock to sharpen the team's tactical understanding. With barely seven days in a FIFA international window, Kimani admits there is precious little time to hammer home his ideas, polish combinations and iron out individual mistakes.
"The unfortunate bit is that in a small FIFA window, you only have about seven days to ensure everybody understands what we are trying to do as a team. It is not enough time," he explained.
There is, however, some welcome relief on the medical front. No fresh injuries have been reported following Wednesday's bruising encounter. Injured Nairobi United defender Joseph Bate remains sidelined, while AFC Leopards midfielder Kelly Madada is unavailable through suspension. Humphrey Aroko, who missed the Tanzania assignment through injury, has recovered and featured in the first leg.
The 25-man squad named for the two-legged assignment is expected to remain intact, although Kimani could shuffle his starting pack for the Abidjan showdown. Latvia-based midfielder Irad Mshindi is pushing for a starting berth after coming in as a substitute in Nairobi following his late arrival in camp. Glenn Githinji also impressed off the bench, while goalscorer Omollo gave the coach another attacking arrow in his quiver.
Beyond the tactical chess game, Kimani wants his players to banish the psychological baggage that has sometimes weighed down Kenyan teams against West African opposition. He believes an inferiority complex and costly individual errors have too often handed opponents an unnecessary head start.
"We have the talent to compete against these teams. We must believe in ourselves, remain brave and avoid unnecessary mistakes," he said.
For the Emerging Stars, the assignment is now to keep the Ivorian lions at bay, protect their hard-earned advantage and leave Abidjan with their continental ambitions still burning brightly. The seven winners of the third and final qualifying round will join hosts Egypt at the 2027 U-23 AFCON, which also serves as Africa's qualification pathway to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. The return leg at Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny kicks off at 10 pm Kenyan time.
