PANAPRESS
Panafrican News Agency
Kenya: Harambee Stars land in DRC for soccer friendly
Nairobi, Kenya (PANA) - The Kenyan senior national football team, the Harambee Stars, landed in Kinshasa Monday afternoon for a friendly match against their Congolese counterparts.
The Kenyans, a good number of them home-based, who will be joined by their foreign-based colleagues, face DR Congo at the Stade Des Martyr in Kinshasa on Tuesday evening.
Notable absentee from the team is Kenyan captain Victor Wanyama, an attacking midfielder who plays for English Premier League side, Tottenham Spurs.
Football Kenya Federation (FKF) said Monday the decision to leave Wanyama out of the team was made in the best interest of the midfielder.
''Coach Stanley Okumbi, after consultation with Tottenham Hotspurs, left Wanyama out as the technical bench felt that it would not be in Victor’s best interest to play two matches in two continents in under 48 hours,'' the federation said.
Wanyama was Sunday named man of the match in Spurs' 2-0 victory over Manchester City.
The squad, home-based players for Kenyan Premier League teams unless stated, comprises:-Bonface Oluoch (goalkeeper).
Defenders - James Saruni, Haron Shakava, Jockins Atudo, Erick Ouma, David Owino, (Zesco, Zambia), David Ochieng (New York Cosmos), Brian Mandela (Maritzburg, South Africa), Abud Omar (Slava Sofia, Bulgaria).
Midfielders - Ismael Gonzales (Las Palmas, Spain), Anthony Akumu (Zesco, Zambia), Victor Majid, Amos Ekhalie (IFK Mariehamn, Finland), Rama Salim (MFK Topvar Topolcany, Slovakia), Johanna Omondi.
Strikers - Paul Were (Acharnaikos, Greece), Jesse Were (Zesco, Zambia), John Makwata, Michael Olunga (IF Djugardens,Sweden).
Technical Bench - Stanley Okumbi (head coach), Musa Otieno (assistant coach), Frank Ouna (assistant coach).
Olunga, Omar, Gonzalez and Esakhalie were to fly from their respective bases to Kinshasa, where they were to join the team ahead of the tie.
-0- PANA DJ/VAO 3Oct2016
The Kenyans, a good number of them home-based, who will be joined by their foreign-based colleagues, face DR Congo at the Stade Des Martyr in Kinshasa on Tuesday evening.
Notable absentee from the team is Kenyan captain Victor Wanyama, an attacking midfielder who plays for English Premier League side, Tottenham Spurs.
Football Kenya Federation (FKF) said Monday the decision to leave Wanyama out of the team was made in the best interest of the midfielder.
''Coach Stanley Okumbi, after consultation with Tottenham Hotspurs, left Wanyama out as the technical bench felt that it would not be in Victor’s best interest to play two matches in two continents in under 48 hours,'' the federation said.
Wanyama was Sunday named man of the match in Spurs' 2-0 victory over Manchester City.
The squad, home-based players for Kenyan Premier League teams unless stated, comprises:-Bonface Oluoch (goalkeeper).
Defenders - James Saruni, Haron Shakava, Jockins Atudo, Erick Ouma, David Owino, (Zesco, Zambia), David Ochieng (New York Cosmos), Brian Mandela (Maritzburg, South Africa), Abud Omar (Slava Sofia, Bulgaria).
Midfielders - Ismael Gonzales (Las Palmas, Spain), Anthony Akumu (Zesco, Zambia), Victor Majid, Amos Ekhalie (IFK Mariehamn, Finland), Rama Salim (MFK Topvar Topolcany, Slovakia), Johanna Omondi.
Strikers - Paul Were (Acharnaikos, Greece), Jesse Were (Zesco, Zambia), John Makwata, Michael Olunga (IF Djugardens,Sweden).
Technical Bench - Stanley Okumbi (head coach), Musa Otieno (assistant coach), Frank Ouna (assistant coach).
Olunga, Omar, Gonzalez and Esakhalie were to fly from their respective bases to Kinshasa, where they were to join the team ahead of the tie.
-0- PANA DJ/VAO 3Oct2016
