Kenya coach slams Zimbabwe’s Polokwane decision

Zim Now Writer

Kenya’s national football team coach, Engin Firat, has expressed strong disapproval of Zimbabwe’s decision to host their upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Kenya in Polokwane, South Africa.

The Warriors are set to face the Harambee Stars at Peter Mokaba Stadium on Friday, November 15. Zimbabwe’s decision to shift their home game to South Africa was necessitated by booking congestion in Johannesburg, where they had previously hosted matches.

However, Firat believes that the move to Polokwane will disrupt his team’s preparations. “I don’t know why they [ZIFA] chose the stadium because it is very difficult to reach the city itself,” he stated in an interview with Tata Sports. “We have a flight to Johannesburg, but from there, we have to take a bus for around five hours to get to the stadium. It is also very difficult for us to arrange a domestic flight.”

Firat further expressed concern about the increased travel time for his European-based players. “They will have to take a 15-16 hour plane till they are in South Africa. So I think on Wednesday it’s when we will have all our players in camp, and then training a day before our game on Friday,” he added.