NAIROBI, July 3 (Xinhua) -- Kenya will shift focus to the upcoming African Nations Championships (CHAN) qualifiers after exiting the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament.
Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president Nick Mwendwa said Wednesday that the team did its best despite failing on the first test and being eliminated in the AFCON group stage.
Kenya's team Harambee Stars is due to arrive in Nairobi on Thursday morning from Cairo, Egypt.
Harambee Stars picked up just one win and suffered two losses in Group C, finishing third behind Algeria and Senegal. Tanzania was the last team in the group having lost all its three games.
The first eight teams to be bundled out of the AFCON are Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi, Angola, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, Namibia and Zimbabwe.
"Our focus now shifts to the upcoming African Nations Championships qualifiers where Harambee Stars takes on Tanzania in the first round set to be played on July 28 in Dar es Salaam," said Mwendwa.
The second leg of CHAN is slated for August 4 in Nairobi.
Kenya captain Victor Wanyama, who plays for Tottenham Hotspur in the English Premier League, said he is proud of the country's performance as Kenya returned to the AFCON after 15 years' hiatus.
"I am proud of the players and staff because everyone gave their best. Sometimes we do mistakes but we are only human and the most important thing for us is to learn from the mistakes. I am proud of everyone because we gave our best and we fought in every match," said Wanyama.
"We have learnt a lot and I know we will have another qualification and the lessons we have taken from here will help us come back. We will sure be a better side when we return," said Wanyama.
