Mariga agrees to play in LG tie against Sudan

By GILBERT WANDERA

Inter-Milan midfielder Macdonald Mariga will be available for Saturday's LG Cup match against Sudan.

Harambee Stars manager Edward Oduor said the player has confirmed his availability but it will be upto coach Zedekiah Otieno to pick him for the match.

“He has accepted to be available for the match and will train with us but whether he is picked or not is entirely upto the coach,” he said.

Mariga last played for Stars against Angola in March but missed the return match due to suspension.  He completes the list of foreign based players called up for the match.

Meanwhile, when Kenya played Sudan in January during the Nile Basin tournament, one man stood out in the Kenyan midfield helping Harambee Stars win the match 1-0.

Gor Mahia midfielder Collins Okoth who was playing his first international match emerged as the best player against a highly technical Sudanese side and when Kenya won a first half penalty he calmly slotted it home.

Six months later, Okoth popularly known as ‘Gattusso’ by the Gor faithful hopes to play a similar role when Harambee Stars play Sudan in Saturday’s LG Cup match at Nyayo National Stadium.

This time around  Okoth does not expect to have an easy walk into the team considering that unlike in January Stars are at an almost full strength.

 “We expect to have an easy match against Sudan considering that we have all this players in camp to pick from.  We also have a home ground advantage and are confident of winning.

“Personally I hope to make it to the starting line-up though it will not be easy because there are so many good players for the coach to pick from. I will be happy to play some role in the match,” said Okoth.

Harambee Stars were in their fourth day of training yesterday and the team was boosted by the arrival of  FK Most midfielder Patrick Oboya who joined the side in the morning.

Oboya who was also a member of the Nile Basin squad said they will take the match seriously.