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The Nairobian

Nations Cup qualifier: Okumbi urges his players to fight against Rwanda

Football

By Rodgers Eshitemi | Apr 01, 2018

Kenya Harambee Stars coach Stanley Okumbi against Liberia during their International friendly at Kasarani Stadium on Tuesday 15/11/16. Kenya won 1-0.PHOTO.BONIFACE OKENDO

Kenya Under-20 coach Stanley Okumbi has urged his players to “fight” for him and make a positive start in today’s (3pm) Africa Cup of Nations first leg qualifier against Rwanda at Kenyatta Stadium, Machakos

Okumbi was recently redeployed to the Rising Stars after his Harambee Stars-led technical bench was disbanded following the national senior team’s dismal performances against lowly ranked Comoros Island (2-2) and Central African Republic (3-2) in international friendly matches.

With the winners of the two-legged tie, whose return leg will be played on April 20 in Kigali, set to meet Zambia in the second round, the former Kariobangi Sharks coach has said they must tackle their visitors with a positive mindset.

“Everybody is expecting me to win with any team I am coaching right now. What I need to do is to push my players and get positive results, nothing else,” Okumbi told The Standard Sports.

“I believe in my team’s potential; the commitment, desire and high level spirit in there.”

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Asked about his strategy for the encounter, the soft speaking Okumbi (pictured right) said:

“Since we are at home, our target is simple; just get a convincing win tomorrow (Sunday) and make our work easier. But that doesn’t mean we want to kill off the game because they (Rwanda) might use our strategy to counter us.

“We have to approach it with a positive mindset, get positive results that will put us in a better position ahead of the return leg.”

Meanwhile, Paris Saint-Germain star Neymar, who is convalescing in Brazil after surgery on his injured right foot, will be back “in two to three weeks,” the club’s coach Unai Emery said on Friday.

“I spoke with him this week, he’s good, relaxed,” Emery said.

Emery was speaking in Bordeaux where PSG, shorn of their biggest star, faced Monaco yesterday in the French League Cup final.

“We spoke about the final,” Emery said. “He’s going to follow the game.”

Neymar, who is crucial to Brazil’s hopes at the World Cup which starts in Russia on June 14, was hurt on February 25 against Marseille and returned to Brazil for treatment.

He missed the second-leg defeat to Real Madrid on March 6, which eliminated PSG from the Champions League.

Brazil’s national team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar, performed surgery on March 3 and then estimated that Neymar would be out for “two-and-a-half to three months.”

That time frame would have meant Neymar’s PSG season was over. [Rodgers Eshitemi and AFP]