Kenya and Namibia finished their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying campaign with a disappointing 0-0 draw at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane, South Africa.
This fixture, which ultimately served as a formality for both teams, saw them already eliminated from contention prior to the kickoff of their final Group J clash.
For the sparse crowd present, the match failed to deliver the thrills typically associated with international football.
In the first half, neither goalkeeper faced any significant challenges, although opportunities presented themselves at both ends.
Kenya’s Richard Odada had the first look at goal as early as the seventh minute, but his header from a corner sailed just over the bar.
Alfred Scriven followed with a missed header of his own, flicking the ball wide in the 16th minute.
Johnstone Omurwa came closest to breaking the deadlock in the 19th minute but directed his glancing header inches past the left post from a set-piece situation.
Namibia, led by their forward Charles Hambira, also came close in the first half.
On 24 minutes, he connected with a cross from Riaan Hanamub, directing his header narrowly wide of the target, leaving the scoreline stagnant as both teams trudged into halftime without a breakthrough.
The second half mirrored the first, lacking intensity and clear-cut chances. Substitute Bethuel Muzeu attempted to spark life into the match in the 75th minute with a long-range effort, yet his strike flew high over the bar, illustrating the overall lack of precision on display.
As the minutes ticked away, Kenyan goalkeeper Bryne Odhiambo finally found himself tested in the 81st minute, reacting well to smother a header from Elmo Kambindu, who met a cross from Ngero Katua. It was a moment of action, but ultimately too little too late.
Both teams finished their qualifying campaign with just one win between them, reflecting a disappointing chapter in their footballing journey.
Kenya and Namibia now head into the next stage, seeking to regroup after a lackluster qualifying round that left their fans yearning for more.
