Despite playing Comoros to a one-all draw in their third 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier,Harambee Stars head coach Jacob 'Ghost' Mulee insists the team has a chance of advancing to the finals set for Cameroon in 2022.
Stars squandered yet another home advantage after rallying from a goal down to share a point with the Les Coelecantes—a result which left their hopes cliff-hanging with just three matches left.
Stars, who are winless in the Pool G of the qualifiers, have amassed three points from as many matches and face a daunting task of pursuing the first win away to the unbeaten Comoros on Sunday.
Ahead of the match, Ghost believes that it is not over for the team which he noted failed to gather all the three points against the ten-man Comoros on Wednesday night courtesy of tough luck in front of the goal.
"We still haven't lost hope as far as qualifying for the finals is concerned. It is a tough pool and the gap between us and the toppers isn't huge enough to rule us out mathematically. Our focus turns to getting the three points away in Moroni which I believe will resuscitate our hopes. We had a decent second half against Comoros but we were unlucky in front of the goal," said the former Tusker gaffer.
Ghost, who admitted that the absence of the team's preferred centre-half Michael Olunga was felt was full of praises for his heir Masoud Juma who netted the equaliser. Olunga, who plies his trade with Kashiwa Reysol in Japan, failed to fly home, thanks to the strict Covid-19 restrictions in Japan.
The former APR tactician also lauded former assistant skipper David 'Calabar' Owino for his second half contribution after coming in for Samuel Olwande.
"We missed Olunga in the match but Juma played well and met the target we had set for him. We wanted him to get at least a goal and he delivered. I was equally impressed with Calabar's efforts after he came in. He changed the game and showed why he should be in the starting team," he said.
Ghost in the meantime expressed hope that the team's battle-hardened centre half Joash Onyango will be available for the return match after missing the first leg.
The former Gor Mahia man, who is attached to Tanzanian champions Simba, surprisingly did not make to the match day squad and according to Ghost, he was omitted on permission to attend to a personal issue.
"He has a personal issue which I hope he will solve soon. If he will be okay then we will travel with him for the return match," he revealed.
