NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 4 – Striker Masud Juma trained with the rest of the team Friday morning, as Harambee Stars held their first training session ahead of the double header 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Cameroon.
Juma has been nursing injury and has missed the last two international windows. Coach Engin Firat however wants to assess his fitness and sharpness and see whether he can use him for one or both matches against the Indomitable Lions.
The group on Friday was largely comprised of local players, with the foreign based legion expected to flow in from next week, after they finish off with club duties this weekend.
Skipper Michael Olunga might however join the rest of the team this weekend, as he is already in the country. Olunga missed the last two qualifiers against Namibia and Zimbabwe due to injury, but has recently returned to action with his Qatari club Al Duhail.
Ayub Timbe is still absent as he is yet to recover from injury.
Meanwhile, coach Firat is crossing his fingers on the availability of defender Joseph Okumu who has not played since the game against Namibia last month where he picked an abductor injury.
Firat has called the Reims defender into the squad, but will need to assess him before deciding whether or not to field him. Stars travel to Cameroon on Tuesday. The first leg match will be played in Yaounde on Friday, with the return leg four days later in Kampala.