Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy expects a tough test when Kenya takes on Rwanda in an international friendly at Amahoro Stadium in Kigali on Monday evening.The match comes at the end of an international window in which both sides have been involved in crucial 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, although their fortunes have been contrasting.##NAJAVA_MECA_10002716##Kenya began their campaign with a 1-1 draw against Eritrea at Nyayo Stadium before suffering a narrow 1-0 defeat to Guinea in Conakry in their second Group D fixture. Ryan Ogam's late equaliser rescued a point against Eritrea, while Serhou Guirassy's goal condemned the Stars to defeat in Guinea.Rwanda, meanwhile, head into the friendly on the back of two impressive qualifying victories. The Amavubi defeated Liberia 3-1 at home before claiming a notable 2-1 victory away to Cape Verde, results that have strengthened their position in the race to qualify for the 2027 AFCON.The tournament will be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania in June 2027.Mulee explains why coaching Harambee Stars is 'the most difficult job in the world'For Kenya, the encounter provides an opportunity to end the international window on a positive note following a disappointing return of one point from their two competitive matches. The draw against Eritrea, in particular, left Stars frustrated after they failed to secure victory in front of a packed Nyayo Stadium, although McCarthy's side produced a much-improved performance against Guinea despite the defeat.The fixture also gives McCarthy an opportunity to assess his squad further as he continues preparations for the AFCON tournament. With Kenya guaranteed a place as co-hosts, the friendly offers the coach valuable minutes for players looking to establish themselves in the national team.Harambee Stars legend Dennis Oliech lands role at FKFKenya and Rwanda last met in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in 2021. The first leg in Kigali ended 1-1, before Kenya secured a 2-1 victory in the return fixture at Nyayo Stadium. The last five meetings between the two sides have produced two Kenyan victories and three draws.McCarthy acknowledges that Rwanda's recent form makes them a formidable opponent."Obviously Rwanda has been doing exceptionally well. They've had two fantastic AFCON qualifiers, and happy that they managed to win. So it would be nice to see them in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda for the AFCON, and we hope that they qualify because the more teams we have from East Africa, the better it is for the tournament, and it will help this region to hopefully do well in the AFCON."Kenyan veteran breaks World Record in SpainThe former Manchester United coach and ex Blackburn Rovers striker expects the encounter to provide a good measure of where his team stands."So we're excited to play them tomorrow, and yeah, I know it's going to be a very difficult game because they have good players, they've got a very good coach, and the results that they've been showing have shown, so it's a nice little test for us tomorrow's match. You know that we're the host nation for the AFCON; it helps because you don't have to qualify, but still, in the group stages we always want to do our best, and we want to prepare the strongest possible team," he added.The friendly could also see McCarthy hand opportunities to some of the younger members of his squad as he continues to build depth ahead of next year's continental tournament."We had a training session yesterday, and it was okay. The training pitch was still in good condition. So that is a plus. And yeah, we're looking forward to this friendly match. It's a good opportunity to give a lot of young players who have come into the team," McCarthy said.With Rwanda riding high after two important qualifying wins and Kenya seeking a response after a mixed international window, the Kigali encounter promises to be a competitive East African test for both sides.Tanzania-based coach highlights what Migori Youth must improve ahead of FKFPL debut