Harambee Stars interim coach Francis Kimanzi has expressed confidence in his squad turning things around in the ongoing Mapinduzi Cup after four key players joined the camp ahead of their second match in the tournament.
Kenya was without four players in their squad for the first match against Burkina Faso on Saturday evening where both teams shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw.
Austine Odhiambo, the Most Valuable Player in the 23/24 Football Kenya Federation Premier League, was unavailable alongside his clubmates Alphonce Omija, Rooney Onyango and Sylvester Owino.
The quartet missed the match as they were participating in their club’s international friendly at the inauguration of the Raila Odinga Stadium where they played against Uganda’s Kitara FC on January 2.
Play here and stand a chance of winning the over 397 Million SportPesa Mega Jackpot
As they prepare to face Kilimanjaro Stars of Tanzania on Tuesday, January 7, Kimanzi stated that the players are motivated and eager to win.
“We have several players in the squad who are eager to earn their first international debut. We are very positive about them and we encourage them to control their emotions and excitement especially when leading in a game,” Kimanzi said.
“I believe that in the next match they are capable of scoring, but it is all about how we manage the game after taking the lead. The players are highly motivated and they want to prove themselves because they understand that they are the product of the team’s hard work,” he added.
ALSO READ: Burkina Faso’s late strike denies Harambee Stars victory in 2025 Mapinduzi Cup
Kimanzi also explained that there was no special consideration in selecting the 24-man squad from the initial 40 in the provisional list.
He acknowledged, however, that missing the four players did impact the team’s performance in the first match against Burkina Faso.
“There were no special considerations. We selected 24 players, which means we have a variety of players who can contribute in different ways. What’s important is that when you choose 24 players, it’s beneficial to have them all together to build the team’s depth,” he explained.
“Sometimes, certain players are crucial even in a mental and psychological sense, motivating others even when they are not on the pitch,” he continued.
“In the previous match, we were missing four key players and that destabilized the depth of our squad, particularly when we needed a solid defensive strategy,” he noted.
“It’s not easy to maintain normalcy when such key players are unavailable. We selected 24 players for a reason and when they are present they bring significant value to the team.”
ALSO READ: Abud Omar appointed Harambee Stars captain for 2025 Mapinduzi Cup
Kimanzi also provided an update on possible injuries, reassuring that the squad remains strong and ready for the next challenge.
“To be honest, I don’t think any team is injury-free at the moment—it’s just the nature of the game, especially when there is limited preparation time,” he said.
“I believe we have some muscle fitness challenges but I need to confirm that with the doctors. At the moment, I do not have a full report on who is feeling unwell but we don’t have any serious injuries in the squad.”
After facing Kilimanjaro Stars, Kenya will prepare for their final match against Zanzibar Heroes on Friday.
Harambee Stars
ALSO READ: 7 sporting events Kenyans should get excited about in 2025