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Magufuli: Harambee Stars friendly against Tanzania called off


The international friendly pitting Kenya against Tanzania in Nairobi has been cancelled.

The clash was set for the refurbished Nyayo Stadium on Thursday from 3pm.

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has announced the cancellation following the death of Tanzania President John Pombe Magufuli.

Magufuli’s death was announced on Wednesday night by the country’s Vice President Samia Suluhu Hassan.

FKF president Nick Mwendwa suggested that the game had been postponed following a request from the Tanzanian authorities.

“In respect to our brothers, we have agreed to cancel the match. Pole sana,” Mwendwa wrote on Twitter.

Tanzania’s Taifa Stars were already in Nairobi ahead of this potentially exciting derby against Kenya’s Harambee Stars.

Harambee Stars had won 2-1 against the visiting Taifa Stars in the first of the two friendlies at the same venue on Monday, with Eric Kapaito and Hassan Abdalla scoring for the hosts.

The two teams were to use these matches as preparations ahead of the remaining 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification matches.

Kenya will play Egypt and Togo at home and away on March 25 and 29, while Tanzania, under new coach Tim Poulton, have a date with Equatorial Guinea and Libya on the same dates.