Harambee Stars head coach Engin Firat has expressed concerns over his team’s preparedness for their African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024 qualifying match against South Sudan scheduled to take place at Juba International Stadium on Sunday evening.
Although Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania have already qualified courtesy of being joint hosts for the tournament slated for February 2025, the three teams must still participate in the qualifiers.
Speaking ahead of the match, Firat noted that the players did not have enough time to train due to a tight schedule and many have not played together recently, leading to a lack of connection.
“We don’t have adequate preparations to be honest. The program is very tough at the moment. We will try to come together but most players have not played as a unit. With only one training session, effective cooperation is challenging,” Firat said.
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Firat also criticized the decision to have the hosts participate in the qualifiers, arguing that the they do not benefit the players.
“It doesn’t make any sense to me. If you are the host, you should not have to play in the qualifiers. It doesn’t bring anything to the players because there is no pressure, making the game feel more like a friendly match,” he noted.
He further mentioned that the FIFA calendar is crowded, making it difficult for Kenyan players to get enough rest.
“The FIFA dates are congested now and in Kenya they cannot play matches consistently. They might play one match, then have a break of three to four weeks, which is very difficult,” he reiterated.
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Team captain Musa Mohammed echoed Firat’s concerns, acknowledging the insufficient training time but expressed hope for a strong performance.
Firat named a 24-man squad, blending players from KPL clubs with standout performers from the recent CECAFA U20 tournament.
Should Kenya secure a victory over South Sudan, they will move on to the final phase of the qualifiers, where they will face the winner of the Djibouti versus Rwanda match.
This decisive stage is scheduled for December 20-27, 2024.
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Harambee Stars Final Squad
Goalkeepers
Byrne Odhiambo (Bandari)
Farouk Shikalo (KCB)
Ibrahim Wanzala (Kakamega Homeboyz)
Defenders
Musa Mohammed (Kenya Police FC)
Sylvester Owino (Gor Mahia)
Alphonce Omija (Gor Mahia)
Geoffrey Ochieng (Gor Mahia)
Bernard Ondiek (Posta Rangers)
Brian Eshihanda (Kakamega Homeboyz)
Daniel Sakari (Kenya Police FC)
Midfielders
Vincent Owino (Nairobi City Stars)
Marvin Nabwire (Kenya Police FC)
Kenneth Muguna (Kenya Police FC)
Ronney Onyango (Gor Mahia)
Austine Odhiambo (Gor Mahia)
Issa Lumumba (Ulinzi Stars)
Boniface Muchiri (Ulinzi Stars)
Chrispine Erambo (Tusker FC)
Matthias Isogol (Mara Sugar)
Andreas Odhiambo (Kariobangi Sharks)
Forwards
Victor Omune (AFC Leopards)
Sydney Lokale (AFC Leopards)
Mathew Tegisi (Shabana)
Patrick Otieno (KCB)
