The Harambee Stars will be looking for their first victory in the qualifying campaign after opening with a 1-1 draw against Eritrea, while Guinea arrive in search of their first points following a 2-1 defeat to South Africa.
With Kenya already guaranteed a place at the 2027 AFCON as one of the tournament’s co-hosts alongside Uganda and Tanzania, McCarthy’s side are effectively playing to influence the battle for the remaining qualification spot in the group.
Bafana Bafana are currently on top spot with six points after their emphatic 5-0 victory over Eritrea on Wednesday, while Kenya and Eritrea have one point apiece. Guinea are bottom without a point.
McCarthy knows Guinea will provide a stern test, particularly because of the quality they possess in attack.
However, the former Bafana striker believes Kenya can make life difficult for the West Africans by producing a disciplined performance.
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“I always try to teach my players when you play the likes of Guinea, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, and all the good world class West African teams, if you are not 100% prepared, and 100% focused on the game, one small mistake they punish you,” McCarthy told reporters ahead of the game.
The Kenya coach has also urged his players not to become preoccupied with stopping one particular Guinea player, warning that their opponents have several players capable of causing problems.
“We prepare for the team in general, and we are just trying to be as simple as possible to eliminate the threats because we know, the wingers, the wide players that they have are quick and skillful,” he said.