Harambee Stars began their 2025 Mapinduzi Cup campaign with a 1-1 draw against Burkina Faso in their opening match on Saturday at Gombeni Stadium in Zanzibar.
Both teams battled for dominance, with Kenya showing early attacking intent, but it was just before halftime when the first goal came.
A well-placed free kick in the 45+1 minute by Boniface Muchiri found James Kinyanjui, who calmly finished to give Kenya a 1-0 lead going into the break.
In the second half, Kenya made tactical adjustments, including a triple substitution in the 67th minute.
Darius Msagah, Chrispine Erambo, and Bajaber Mohammed replaced Michael Mutinda, James Kinyanjui, and Kelly Madada, injecting fresh energy into the team’s play.
As the match neared its conclusion, Burkina Faso took advantage of a defensive lapse from Kenya.
Aboubacar Traoré scored the equalizer in the 89th minute, leveling the score at 1-1.
The Harambee Stars now turn their attention to their next match against hosts Tanzania, scheduled for Tuesday.
