NAIROBI, Kenya, November 25 – Harambee Stars head coach Adel Amrouche is counting on home advantage to lift the side to Cecafa Senior Cup glory when the regional showdown kicks-off on Wednesday.
The hosts have been training at the Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani, as they seek to reclaim the title they last won in 2002.
“All is well at the camp and the boys are well prepared, everyone has to prove himself because they are all local based and I think this is a good platform for them to showcase their talent.
“Those I selected deserve to be in the national team since they excelled in the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) and some of them were recognized as best players,” Amrouche who will be guiding the team for the first time in the regional tournament told Capital Sport on Monday.
KPL top scorer and KCB’s forward Jacob Keli, says the team has no option but to win for the country that will be celebrating 50 years of existence on December 12 when the final is set to be played.
“It’s a difficult task ahead but we need to win it for Kenyans and I will give my best since I want to score goals for my nation,” Keli who was recently crowned as the best player in the KPL added.
Stars who are pooled in Group A, begin their campaign with an opener against the Walya Antelopes of Ethiopia before taking on Zanzibar and South Sudan.
The boys reached the finals of last year’s edition in Kampala, losing 2-1 to their perennial rivals Uganda Cranes.
Meanwhile, the defending champions and the Amavumbi Stars of Rwanda are the latest teams to arrive in the country.
They join Somalia, Sudan, Eritrea, Burundi and guest team Chipolopolo from Zambia who checked in over the weekend.
All the preliminary matches will be played in Nairobi and Machakos, while the quarter finals will be staged in Mombasa as Kisumu will host semi finals.
The final will be played at Nairobi’s Nyayo National Stadium.
