Zamalek defender Baron Ochieng has set his sights on representing the Harambee Stars at the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after earning a recall to the national team for the upcoming friendly matches against Equatorial Guinea and Senegal scheduled for November 14 and 18 in Antalya, Turkey.
The Zamalek SC left-back, who earned his first call-up to the national team under former head coach Engin Firat, expressed his excitement at returning to the Harambee Stars setup.
Speaking to SportPesa Blog during the team’s final training session at Nyayo Stadium before their departure to Turkey, Ochieng said the call-up reignited his dream of playing in the continental showpiece.
ALSO READ: Kenya U20 defender Baron Ochieng’ elated after making Zamalek debut in CAF Confederation Cup
Zamalek defender Baron Ochieng elated
“I thank God for this opportunity. It is a great chance for us young players,” Ochieng said.
“It is every player’s dream to represent the national team and being called up once again means I can keep my hopes high toward AFCON 2027. My focus is on representing the country in 2027, which will be a big tournament, so I’m really happy to be included in the current squad.”
Before his move to Egyptian giants Zamalek, Ochieng was one of the standout performers in the Kenyan top-flight.
The full-back had a stellar campaign with Sofapaka FC in the SportPesa League, helping the Batoto Ba Mungu secure their top-flight status. His consistent performances, both defensively and offensively, made him one of the most productive defenders in the league.
Baron Ochieng reflects on CHAN 2024 omission
He registered an impressive 18 goal contributions, the highest among defenders and the second most overall in the division, a statistic that underlined his attacking prowess from the back.
Reflecting on his earlier omission from the national team that saw him miss the African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024 tournament that was co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, Ochieng said he never lost faith in his abilities and remained patient, knowing his opportunity would come.
“The decision is always on the coaches, and I believed my time would come,” he said.
“Now that I have received the call-up, maybe at that time the coaches saw something in others that I did not have then. I didn’t feel bad about it because, at the end of the day, we’re all representing the country. The team was doing well and I was genuinely happy about that.”
With his recent move to Zamalek, one of Africa’s biggest clubs, Ochieng hopes to continue improving his game and bring international experience to the national side. His return adds valuable depth to the Harambee Stars’ defensive line as the team prepares for the friendlies in Turkey.
Kenya will open their two-match friendly series against Equatorial Guinea on November 14 before facing continental powerhouse Senegal on November 18.
For Ochieng, these games present an opportunity to re-establish himself as one of the team’s most reliable defenders as he sets his eyes firmly on the road to AFCON 2027, which will be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.