Harambee Stars players and the team’s technical bench have missed out on a cash prize totaling Sh11 million despite impressing against Egypt’s Pharaohs on Thursday.
Kenya drew with the north African giants in a 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, with rookie forward Abdalla Hassan, attached to Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League side Bandari, scoring for the hosts in the second half.
This result saw Kenya’s chances of qualifying for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon end, with Egypt and Comoros instead advancing from Group ‘G’.
But if team Kenya triumphed against the African giants, former Nairobi governor Mike Sonko was on standby to award the team Sh2 million in cash.
The flamboyant politician had also, via a Facebook post, vowed to reward the players with Sh6 million if the team qualified for the continental championship.
“I have done it before and I will do it again. Sh2 million for Harambee Stars if they beat Egypt today and a further Sh6 million upon qualifying for the Africa Cup of Nations finals in Cameroon next year,” Sonko wrote.
Besides Sonko, betting firm Odibets had promised the team Sh3.5 million for a win.
The assignment was far from straightforward understandably, with the African giants scoring first, through Al Ahly midfielder Mohamed Magdy.
Kenya gradually grew into the game and Masud Juma’s found the back of the net just before the break, only for the goal to be ruled out for an apparent handball.
The task got even harder for coach Jacob ‘Ghost’ Mulee’s team in the last 15 minutes when Johnstone Omurwa, who had starred at the heart of defence, was sent off for an off-the-ball incident involving an Egyptian player.
Kenya will wrap up her fixtures in this competition with a match away to Togo in Lome on March 29.
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