Okumbi set to lead team against Comoros on Saturday

Kenya Harambee Stars Whyvonne Kinayangi(R) eye for header against and Dau Issa of Zanzibar during the CECAFA Senior challenge cup finals at Kenyatta Stadium, Machakos on Sunday 17/12/17.[Boniface Okendo,Standard]

This month promises to be a busy one for the country’s national football teams with three sides engaged in various build-up matches beginning today to Sunday.

Harambee Stars are already in Morocco where they are scheduled to play two friendly matches during the Fifa international break.

Stars who held their second training session on Tuesday, will take on Comoros on Saturday before tackling the Central African Republic (CAR) three days late. Both matches will be played in Marrakech.

Stanley Okumbi will be in charge of the team having replaced Paul Put who quit in a huff early this month.

Okumbi has recalled a number of foreign-based players among them McDdonald Mariga and Ismael Gonzalez both of who play in Spain.

By Tuesday, all the foreign-based players except team captain Victor Wanyama and Michael Olunga had linked up with the team. The duo were expected later yesterday.

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president Nick Mwendwa, who is also in Morocco said that they are planning another friendly match in May at home.

“These matches have continued to play a big role in helping Stars get better and we are planning another home match preferably against South Africa in Nairobi in May as the new coach takes over,” he said.

Apart from Harambee Stars, an Under-23 side christened Emerging Stars is currently in Tashkent,Uzbekistan ahead of a two-legged friendly against Uzbekistan.

The team is handled by Mathare United coach Francis Kimanzi and is made up of players mostly drawn from the Kenyan Premier League and will also feature in qualifiers for the 2020 Olympic games.

The team’s first match is scheduled for today before they wind up their tour with another match against the hosts on Sunday.

Regarding this squad, the FKF boss said every effort will be made to expose them as much as possible so that they are ready when the Olympic qualifiers kick-off.

“The two matches in Uzbekistan are the first of a series of friendlies that the team will take part in preparation for the Olympic qualifiers. We believe that with good support they should be able to make it,” Mwendwa said.

The women team Harambee Starlets have also not been left out in the series of friendly matches lined up. The team which has been training in Machakos for the last two weeks is scheduled to take on Zambia on Sunday in a friendly match.