Burundi vs Kenya: Swallows Drop Strong Message Ahead of High-Stakes Clash with Harambee Stars

Burundi national team coach Patrick Sangwa has revealed his main target with the Swallows ahead of their second leg encounter against Kenya’s Harambee Stars in the World Cup qualifier scheduled for Thursday, October 9, at the Intwari Stadium in Bujumbura.

In their recent matches, the Swallows lost to Gambia 2-0 and the Ivory Coast 1-0, and they will be in the hunt for a win against a formidable Harambee Stars side.

During the first leg of the qualifiers, the match ended in a 1-1 draw, and both coaches, Benni McCarthy and Patrick Sangwa, are determined to avoid a similar outcome this time.

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Now that their chances of qualifying for the World Cup are gone, Patrick Sangwa wants to get his team ready for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

The Swallows will miss out on the 2025 edition after finishing third in Group L of the qualifiers behind Senegal and Burkina Faso.

On their part, Harambee Stars will also not be in action in the continental showpiece, having finished third in their group, which comprised Cameroon, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.

Patrick Sangwa is confident that since they do not have any injury concerns, that will be enough to silence Harambee Stars, who have already pointed out some issues.

“At this moment, the preparations are going on well because, as a coach, I don’t like it when a player gets to a point where they get injured,” Patrick Sangwa said in the press conference on Wednesday, October 8.

“At this point, we do not have any concern for any player, and this is a sign that the preparations are okay, so for the match, we leave everything to God.

“We know that for the World Cup, it was a dream to go to the global championship, but now that it has already gone, we want to have a national team prepare for the Africa Cup of Nations.”

With Burundi already out of World Cup contention, coach Patrick Sangwa has shifted focus toward rebuilding and strengthening the Swallows for future competitions, particularly the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

Confident in his injury-free squad and their improving preparations, Patrick Sangwa sees the upcoming clash against Kenya’s Harambee Stars not merely as a qualifier but as a crucial step in shaping a competitive and resilient team for the years ahead.