Firat: Harambee Stars possess quality to shock Iran

Kenya national football team head coach Engin Firat has declared Harambee Stars ready for Tuesday's international friendly against Iran in Tehran.

The much-anticipated clash will kick off at 8 PM East African Time at the Azadi Stadium, marking the Stars' return to international football after more than a year due to Kenya's suspension by FIFA.

In an interview with Khabar Online, Firat said his side has enough quality to match Team Melli, who have featured in the World Cup six times.

"I am happy that the players have adapted well both inside and outside the field, and they have to show what they have learned in training.

We are playing against a good team, and common sense dictates that it will not be easy, but overall, we have our quality, and we must try to shock the host until the last minute," he said.

Firat now has changed his tune on the game approach as on Saturday he stated that Kenya has no chance to beat Iran in their backyard.

"One Iranian player has more market value than all our team (Harambee Stars) but still some people are talking about winning. I don't know which planet they are living on," said Firat.

Stars arrived in Tehran on Sunday morning and held a recovery training session in the evening.

In the head-to-head stats, Kenya has never beaten Iran in their last two meetings coming out of international friendlies.

Their first meeting between the two nations was on April 21, 1997, in Tehran, with the hosts winning 3-0. They again met on March 14, 2009, in the same city where Iran won by a solitary goal.