Heading into the final qualifying matches, the African champions are topping Group F with 20 points gained from six wins, two draws and zero defeats, while Harambee Stars, who are already out of contention to qualify, are lying fifth with nine points.
Before playing against Kenya, Ivory Coast will come up against winless side Seychelles in matchday nine fixture at the National Sports Complex Pitch 1 in Mauritius on Friday, October 10th, a day after Harambee Stars face Burundi at Prince Louis Rwagasore Stadium.
Kenya not there to do favours for anyone
According to the South African legend, Kenya’s focus is to return home with maximum points from the two qualifiers. McCarthy further said that Harambee Stars will not fear anyone in the remaining matches.
“It is World Cup qualifiers, it is opportunity for us to try and collect maximum points, but we know what is at stake as well, and we know that it’s us going into the lion’s Den because for Ivory Coast a win will definitely secure them automatic qualification for the World Cup,” McCarthy told Flashscore.
“We know we are not there to do favours for anyone, so for us we are going there to play a match against a team that we want to win, we want three points, and that is our task, our objective, and for us to lose, we have to lose to a team that we knew, we had no opportunities, no possibilities of winning the game, that is the only way.”
Ivory Coast must fight to earn World Cup spot
The first round meeting between the two sides ended in a 0-0 draw, and according to McCarthy, who was not in charge of the team then, believes Harambee Stars have a great opportunity to go out there and beat the African champions.
“We can only come out there not victorious because our opponents were much superior than us, but other than that, they gonna really have to earn a place to play in the World Cup qualifiers, we weren’t good enough to go there and beat them the first time, we let them off the hook, so it can’t be a revenge match for me,” explained McCarthy.
“We have to prepare and be best prepared as possible as we can, so that we can go there and make use of the opportunities that will present themselves in the game and try not to repeat the same mistake by letting them off the hook and getting a draw, instead of a game that we should win.”
He added: “We respect any team, doesn’t matter who we play, we respect our opponents because we are human beings, as people you respect your peers, but when you walk over those white lines, and then the respect disappears, and then it is all about us wanting to showcase where we are, and the qualities that we have.
“That is what we are going to do, so just because we are playing Ivory Coast, now we have to lose all our dignity because we are playing the African champions, or they play in one of Africa’s strongest nations out there, it doesn’t work like that, football is not played on paper, it is played on the pitch, and we are going out there to play the best football that we can possibly can, and hopefully to win the game.”
Harambee Stars will be looking to finish their qualification journey on a positive note.
