Will Harambee Stars Be The Part Of 2019 AFCON Finals???

CAF expels Sierra Leone from 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, confirming Kenya’s return to the continental showpiece after 14 years.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) yesterday confirmed Sierra Leone’s expulsion from the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers, leaving Group F with three teams.

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The verdict, which was reached at during the CAF Executive Committee meeting in Accra, Ghana on Friday, thus confirms Kenya’s participation in next year’s continental showpiece with one round of qualifiers to go.

With two wins, one draw and one loss, Kenya’s Harambee Stars top the group on seven points and are guaranteed a top two finish, the outcome of their final fixture away to Ghana in March notwithstanding.

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Ghana are second having amassed six points, while Ethiopia occupy the third spot with one point.

“Sierra Leone is disqualified from the qualifiers and all its matches are annulled. This will result in a group of 3 teams,” CAF said in a statement.

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The Leone Stars were suspended by world football governing body Fifa in October due to government interference.

This forced the West Africans to forego October’s back-to-back qualifiers against Ghana as well as last month’s fixture with Kenya that had been scheduled for Nairobi.

Sierra Leone’s suspension means Ethiopia will not be in action on the final match day and it will be down to four-time Afcon winners Ghana and Kenya to square it out for top spot in the group.

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Kenya becomes the 14th country to book a slot at the 32nd edition of the tournament, joining neighbours Uganda, who qualified last month.

Harambee Stars last graced the continental showpiece in 2004, bowing out at the preliminary stage.

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Following CAF’s decision to strip Cameroon of hosting rights for the biennial tournament, a new host will be announced by the end of the year, with South Africa and Morocco in pole position to land the hosting rights.

From next year, the tournament will adopt a 24-team format as a result of the decision passed by the CAF Executive Committee in 2017.

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