NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 4 – The Camp Toyoyo Grounds in Nairobi’s Jericho Estate played host to high profile visitors on Tuesday evening with reigning African champions Cameroon, led by new coaches Clarence Seerdof and Patrick Kluivert holding a training session there.
The Indomitable Lions have been in the country from Sunday evening as they prepare to face Comoros in an African Cup of Nations (AFCON) Qualifier on Saturday in Moroni.
The team had initially held three training sessions at the Moi Sports Centre Kasarani and needed to have a feel of an artificial turf as it is the same surface they will play on against Comoros.
Seedorf and Kluivert, both former Netherlands internationals who replaced fellow Dutchman Hugo Broos at the helm of the team led the team to a light session at the Toyoyo turf, doing a bit of fitness checks and ball drills as they gear up for Comoros.
Among the high-profile names which descended on the Toyoyo turf includes Paris Saint Germain striker Eric-Maxim Choupo Moting who moved to the French capital on deadline day from English second tier side Stoke City.
Also present was Brighton’s Gaetan Bong and former West Brom defender Allan Nyom who moved to the Spanish La Liga to sign for Leganes after Albion were demoted from the English top tier.
Choupo Moting and striker Vincent Aboubakar who plays in Portugal with giants FC Porto spotted trainers and did not have a run in with the rest of the squad as they sat out, possibly nursing a few knocks.
While naming his squad for this tie, Seedorf sensationally left out AFCON winning skipper Benjamin Moukandjo and winger Cristian Bassogog from the squad saying he would not pick any squad members from the Chinese leagues.
Moukandjo plies his trade alongside Kenyan international Ayub Timbe with Beijing Renhe while Bassogog, named Most valuable Player at the 2017 AFCON plays for Henan Jianye.
With a restricted closed-door session, a few eager fans giraffe-ed their heads over the Toyoyo perimeter wall to catch a glimpse of the African champions and some to have a glimpse of childhood heroes Seedorf and Kluivert who were among the best in their generation.
Cameroon will host the 2019 AFCON and have thus qualified but are playing in the qualifiers nonetheless. While the rest of the groups will have the top two teams qualifying, Cameroon’s group will only have one more team going through.
The Central Africans currently top Group B after beating Morocco 1-0 in their opening match. After playing Comoros on Saturday, their next assignment will be back to back home and away games against Malawi.
Cameroon squad to play Comoros
Goalkeepers: Fabrice Ondoa (Oostende/BEL), Andre Onana (Ajax/NED), Carlos Kameni (Fenerbahce/TUR)
Defenders: Collins Fai (Standard Liege/BEL), Felix Eboa Eboa (Guingamp/FRA), Michael Ngadeu-Ngadjui (Slavia Prague/CZE), Ambroise Oyongo Bitolo (Montpellier/FRA), Yaya Banana (Panionios/GRE), Jerome Onguene (Red Bull Salzburg/AUT), Gaetan Bong (Brighton and Hove Albion/ENG), Allan Nyom (Leganes/ESP)
Midfielders: Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa (Fulham/ENG), Georges Mandjeck (Maccabi Haifa/ISR), Adrien Tameze (Nice/FRA), Pierre Kunde Malong (Mainz/GER)
Forwards: Edgar Salli (Nuremberg/GER), Fabrice Olinga (Mouscron/BEL), Vincent Aboubakar (FC Porto/POR), Stephane Bahoken (Angers/FRA), Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting (Stoke City/ENG), Karl Toko Ekambi (Villareal/ESP), Paul-Georges Ntep (Wolfsburg/GER), Nicolas Moumi Ngamaleu (Young Boys/SUI)