•Stars last meeting with Mali was at the 2004 Afcon in Tunisia where the Malians won 3-1.
•Regional kingpins Uganda Cranes drew 1-1 in their last clash with Stars last year in what was Kimanzi's first match in charge on his return to the national set up
Image: ERICK BARASA
Harambee Stars coach Francis Kimanzi is optimistic that the national soccer team can negotiate their World Cup qualifier group stage unscathed after Kenya were pooled alongside regional rivals Uganda, Rwanda and 2006 World cup participants Mali in Group E.
Kimanzi, who guided Stars to their highest ever ranking in 2008, said early and proper preparations will be key to the national team achievement.
“This is a group that contains teams that know each other well with the exception of Mali. So it is not going to be straight forward,” he started.
“It's a fair group to be sincere and everybody will have an equal opportunity to qualify. What we will need to focus on is how we prepare for each of those matches and see where we end up,” said the Stars' tactician.
By virtue of their world ranking, Mali (56) will on paper start as favourites to emerge top followed by Uganda (77), Kenya (106) and Rwanda (131).
However, Kenyans have vowed top prove that rankings count for nothing in such events. Stars last meeting with Mali was at the 2004 Afcon in Tunisia, where the Malians won 3-1.
Regional kingpins Uganda Cranes drew 1-1 in their last clash with Stars last year in what was Kimanzi's first match in charge on his return to the national set up. Kenya, meanwhile, were victorious in their last encounter with Rwanda at the 2017 Cecafa Senior Challenge, where they emerged 2-0 victors.
Tanzania, whose talismanic captain Mbwana Samata joined English Premier League side, Aston Villa on Tuesday becoming only the second East African after Stars' skipper Victor Wanyama, got an equally reasonable draw as they stand to face DR Congo, Benin and Madagascar.
African champions Algeria will begin their bid for a place at the 2022 World Cup against tiny Djibouti in October after the draw was made for the qualifying group stage in Cairo on Tuesday.
Only the top team in each of the 10 pools advance to the final knockout stages, where they will play home and away for a place in Qatar, and Algeria will be confident of advancing from Group A that also contains Burkina Faso and Niger.
Senegal also have a favourable draw in Group H along with Congo-Brazzaville, Namibia and Togo, the latter a shadow of the side that qualified for the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
Nigeria are in Group 'C' along with Cape Verde Islands, Central African Republic and Liberia, which should cause few alarms.
One of Cameroon and Ivory Coast will be eliminated at this stage after they were drawn together in Group 'D' along with Mozambique and Malawi.
Ghana and South Africa headline Group 'G' having also been paired together in the qualifiers for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, so will be regular combatants over the next 18 months. They must also face Zimbabwe and Ethiopia, who are both tricky opponents.
North African powerhouse Tunisia are in Group B with Zambia, Mauritania and Equatorial Guinea, while Egypt have been handed a difficult road in a pool with Gabon, Libya and Angola.
The qualifiers will get underway in October with the pool stage completed 12 months later. The 10 group winners will then face-off in November 2021 with the five victors of those knockout matches sealing a place at the World Cup.
Group A
Algeria
Burkina Faso
Niger
Djibouti
Group B
Tunisia
Zambia
Mauritania
Equatorial Guinea
Group C
Nigeria
Cape Verde Islands
Central African Republic
Liberia
Group D
Cameroon
Ivory Coast
Mozambique
Malawi
Group E
Mali
Uganda
Kenya
Rwanda
Group F
Egypt
Gabon
Libya
Angola
Group G
Ghana
South Africa
Zimbabwe
Ethiopia
Group H
Senegal
Congo-Brazzaville
Namibia
Togo
Group I
Morocco
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Sudan
Group J
Democratic Republic of Congo
Benin
Madagascar
Tanzania.