NAIROBI, Nov 9 – Kenyan midfielders MacDonald Mariga and Robert Mambo will miss Saturday's decisive World Cup qualifier against Nigeria due to injury, local football officials said on Monday.Football Kenya Limited (FKL) vice-chairman Titus Kasuve, however, said the Denmark-based midfielder Emmanuel Ake and striker Dennis Oliech of Auxerre in France had been recalled for the Group 2 tie.
Kenya may be out of the running for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa but they hold the key to the eventual winners of the group.
A win against Nigeria will pave the way for Tunisia, who play away to Mozambique to maintain their lead and make sure of their place.
Kenya, also need to win to keep alive their hopes of reaching the African Nations Cup finals in Angola but a defeat would mean an end for German coach Antoine Hey who has only won one game in five qualifying matches.
"The writing is on the wall. One of our conditions was qualifying for the African Cup of Nations," Kasuve told a news conference on Monday, adding that the coach had been pressed to include Ake and Oliech in the team for the crucial tie.
"The coach has had his way in the last five matches and we have seen the results. The fans have been calling for the changes. It is time to bring in everybody in the last ditch effort to qualify for Angola," Kasuve said.