Harambee Stars Captain Victor Wanyama takes a selfie with pupils from a Nairobi school after Wednesday evening’s training session. PHOTO/FKF
NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 10- Harambee Stars skipper Victor Wanyama jetted into the country and trained with the rest of his team mates on Wednesday evening ahead of Saturday’s friendly match against Mozambique on Saturday in Nairobi.
Other foreign based players who have joined the team at their residential training camp at the Kasarani Stadium include Bulgaria based left back Aboud Omar, Golden Arrows midfielder Clifton Miheso, IF Djugardens striker Michael Olunga and IFK Mariehamn’s Amos Ekhalie.
Wanyama missed the last engagement against DR Congo in Lubumbashi due to a tight travel schedule but says it is an honor being back and available for the national team.
The imposing midfielder has been in imperious form at club level in England with Tottenham Hotspur where he has helped the North London club to an unbeaten start to the English Premier League.
He is expected to play an equally bigger role for the national team as head coach Stanley Okumbi’s charges eye a bigger improvement in FIFA rankings.
At the same time, Belgium based winger Ayub Timbe might be available for next Wednesday’s friendly against Liberia upon recommendation by the Stars medical team.
Timbe has been out injured for the last three weeks and was preliminarily ruled out of both matches, but Okumbi says if he will have attained the right fitness levels he might play a part in Wednesday’s match.
The duo of Paul Were and defender David ‘Cheche’ Ochieng have been left out of the two friendly matches on request from their clubs. Ochieng’s USA club New York Cosmos are playing in the NASL championship final next Tuesday.
Defender Musa Mohammed will be unavailable due to passport issues while striker Allan Wanga has asked to be left out due to personal reasons.
The Zesco United trio of David Owino, Teddy Akumu and Jesse Were are expected later on Thursday evening after playing for their club in a 3-1 midweek win over Nchanga Rangers where Were scored his club’s third goal.
Meanwhile, the Mozambican national team arrived in the country on Wednesday evening and is set to have two training sessions before the friendly on Saturday.
