• The defeat came two days after the Kenyan lads stamped authority to stun Pakistan 1-0 in their first build-up encounter at the on the same venue on Monday.
• There are areas that need improvement to ensure a smoother journey ahead- Firat.
Image: FILE
Harambee Stars' tactician Engin Firat has expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance at the Four-Nations tournament in Mauritius despite crashing to the host country in their final encounter.
Firat spoke after his charges ended their campaign with a heart-wrenching 1-0 loss to hosts Mauritius at the Cote D'Or National Sports Complex in Port Lous on Sunday.
Kenny Saramandif fired Mauritius into the lead in the 23rd minute from Kévin Bru's corner kick which Stars' custodian Bryne Omondi failed to clear.
The defeat came two days after the Kenyan lads stamped authority to stun Pakistan 1-0 in their first build-up encounter at the same venue on Monday.
Firat said he used the stage to identify appropriate personnel who possess the mojo to fire the country to glory on the international stage.
"The purpose of the camp was not only to secure victories but also to explore new players, different positions, and alternative team formations," Firat said.
The Turkish gaffer said the trip to the Indian Ocean peninsula afforded his charges a glorious opportunity to make the necessary amends ahead of the Afcon and World Cup qualifiers later in the year.
"There are areas that need improvement to ensure a smoother journey ahead. We learned more about our strengths, weaknesses, and potential solutions for the future,” stated Coach Firat.
Firat said he now has a rough idea of who is well-placed to ply trade for the country in future assignments.
"My primary objective is to identify players who can contribute significantly to Kenya's success in the future.“We aim to try out players who are eligible to play for us. We are here to see which players will help us in the long run, who will step up when given the opportunity,” Firat stated.
He singled out fast-rising Kakamega Homeboyz forward Moses Shummah for praise, noting that he surpassed expectations in the tournament on his debut.
"Shummah is an example of a player who has proven his potential to succeed on the big stage."
Firat observed that the team had improved immensely compared to their performance in Tehran, where they squandered a first-half lead to crash 2-1 to hosts Iran in a build-up encounter.
"We are improving by the day and I believe with more tournaments of this nature, we shall be able to prepare well for the qualifiers that will begin in September," he remarked.
Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president Nick Mwendwa earlier in the month hinted at the possibility of Harambee Stars traveling to Europe and the Middle East for build-up matches.