Harambee Stars wonder kids Abdalla Hassan and Dan Sakari have urged their teammates to brush aside the African Cup of Nations heartbreak in order to concentrate on the forthcoming World Cup qualifiers.
Speaking on Monday hours before their final match against hosts Togo in Lome, Abdalla admitted he was still smarting from devastation after Stars narrowly missed out on a chance to lynch Egypt and resurrect their slim chances of qualifying for the Afcon finals scheduled for next January in Cameroon.
"We lost all hope after our match against Egypt. It was so disappointing but then that's how things have turned out to be," he said.
But the 24-year-old attacking midfielder who features for Football Kenya Federation Premier League side Bandari is now urging his teammates to shift focus from the Afcon debacle and instead train their eyes on what lies ahead.
"I can't complain much about ending up in the third position in Group 'G'. We are still in the process of building a new team and gaining confidence ahead of the World Cup qualifiers in June," said Abdalla.
Abdalla was the toast of the day as the hosts overwhelmed the Pharaohs in their closely contested tie, his 65th-minute solitary goal salvaging a point for Stars.
His teammate Dan Sakari also rued the missed opportunity to finish off the Egyptians but still holds their Afcon expedition should be used to gear up for better things.
"Personally, I want to perform the best because to me these matches are a stepping stone to advancing my career," said Sakari.
The Kariobangi Sharks right full-back says he was motivated by Liverpool star Mohammed Salah who came to their dressing room after the match and uttered some very encouraging words.
"Salah told us not to give up but continue fighting because soon we'll also be celebrating after hard work," added Sakari
Sakari left Kenyan football lovers wowed with his splendid display on the pitch as he combined both power and expertise to run down the right channel and deliver crosses at whim, while equally standing firm in the defensive third to thwart any inroads into Stars' territory.
