STARS SET FOR CHAN: Coach Williamson plots to fell hosts Ethiopia this Sunday

The Harambee Stars' Stephene Wakanya, left, and Kevin Kimani during team training at City Stadium on Wednesday before leaving for Ethopia on Friday, June 17th, 2015. PHOTO/ JONAH ONYANGO.

For many years, the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) has always been touted as one of the best competitions on the continent.

However, national team Harambee Stars coach Bobby Williamson believes this will be tested when the side takes on Ethiopia in Sunday’s Africa Nations Championships (CHAN) match away. The competition is reserved for players who feature in domestic leagues.

“We have heard many times that the KPL ranks probably second to the South African league, but the time to prove this will be on Sunday when we play Ethiopia,” said the coach on his first day of training for the fixture at City Stadium, yesterday.

 RESPECTS ETHIOPIANS

Williamson further said that he greatly respects the Ethiopians, who are known to pass the ball around well. Stars, he says, will be out to deny them possession during the fixture.

“They (Ethiopians) are very good on the ground where they pass the ball around well. Our strategy will be to deny them possession so that it does not work against us. It will be important that we start well on Sunday,” he said.

Kenya has never qualified for the CHAN finals, but Williamson boasts of having sent Uganda Cranes to the competition when it was held in Sudan in 2013.

 

 PROVE HIMSELF

In a related development, Williamson has challenged Gor Mahia midfielder Ali Abondo to prove himself in Sunday’s fixture away.

Abondo is currently the joint leading top scorer in the Kenyan Premier League with nine goals to his name.

Despite his top form, Abondo did not make the team for last Sunday’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Congo Brazzaville away.

“We have given him (Abondo) a chance against Ethiopia and now it is up to him to prove himself. He is one of the top scorers in the KPL and we want to see the same thing on Sunday,” he said.

“I hope that by leaving him out of last Sunday’s match this will make him hungry to want to perform,” added the tactician.