In the 2005, Kenya was thrashed 5=1 by Morocco in a World Cup qualifier in Rabat, fast forward, last night Kenya suffered a similar fate and qualifying match to Mali in the same country
Mali went on rampage to hammer Kenya’s national football team Harambee Stars 5-0 in a 2022 World Cup Africa qualifying group E match Stade Adrar in Agadir in Morocco on Thursday, October 7th, 2021.
Ibrahima Kone of Norwegian Premier league Eliteserien club Sarpsborg 08 netted a hatrick for Mali to top the standings.
The 2015 Under 20 FIFA World Cup best player Adama Traore of Turkish top flight league side Hatyaspor opened the floodgates in the 7th minute.
Kone scored in the 22nd, 36th and a 45th minute penalty for the Malians to lead 4-0 at the breather.
On resumption, Mousa Dumbia of French Ligue 1 side Reims completed the rout in the 85th minute to seal Harambee Stars fate
Harambee Stars was seeking for the first ever win against much fancied Mali when the two teams clashed on Thursday.
The match was played behind closed doors at the 45,000 capacity Stade Adrar in Agadir from 10pm due to Covid-19 restrictions.
Mali, a team which has featured prominently in the Africa Cup of Nations emerging runners-up in 1972, opted for the game to be played in Morocco due to lack of standard Fifa and Caf approved stadium to host the game.
The two sides have met twice in the African Cup of Nations with Mali winning once and one contest ending in a draw.
Mali beat Stars 3-1 in Tunisia on January 24, 2004 while the two teams drew 1-1 in the 1972 edition in Yaounde, Cameroon.
Notably, Mali has finished third on two occasions and thrice in fourth position in the continental showpiece.
Southampton midfielder Moussa Djenepo, highly-rated Al Ahly midfielder Aliou Dieng are among the high profile players in the 26-man squad named by coach Mohamed Magassouba for the back-to-back Kenya matches.
The majority of Mali squad comprises players who ply their trade in France, Sweden, Germany and Portugal with only Mohammed Niare and Hamidou Sinayoko playing in the local Malian Premier League.
Only Dieng, Djigui Diarra of Young Africans (Yanga), Niaré, Sinayoko and TP Mazembe’s Boss Mounkoro play their football in Africa.
Mali lead the standings with seven points, followed by Uganda which has five in second spot while Kenya is third with two points ahead of tail-enders Rwanda which has one point.
Kenya will battle Mali in their next World Cup qualifier to be played in Nairobi on Sunday, October 10th, 2021.
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