- Kenya U23 have named their final squad to face Cote d’Ivoire in the second round of the 2027 AFCON U23 qualifiers.
- Kenya will host the first leg on Wednesday, November 11, at Nyayo National Stadium, with kick-off at 3pm EAT.
- The return leg will take place on Tuesday, November 17, at Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny in Abidjan, kicking off at 10pm EAT.
Highly rated midfielder Aldrine Kibet will headline Kenya’s U23 final squad for the two-legged second-round qualifier against Cote d’Ivoire in the 2027 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Kibet, who continues to hone his craft in Spain with Celta Vigo B as an attacking midfielder, missed the first round of qualifiers, where Kenya narrowly edged Tanzania’s Rising Stars 5-4 on aggregate to book their place in the second round.
The 19-year-old has now been named in the final squad, with coach Anthony Kimani largely retaining the core of the team that navigated past Tanzania, although two players will be unavailable.
AFC Leopards sensation Kelly Madada is suspended after picking up two yellow cards, while Joseph Bate has been ruled out through injury.
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Alongside Kibet’s inclusion, Emerging Stars midfield has received another significant boost with the return of Swedish-based maestro Humphrey Aroko, who is fully fit and ready to anchor the Emerging Stars’ engine room after missing the first-round triumph due to injury.
Among the notable returnees are forwards Paul Osama and Lawrence Okoth of Bandari FC, both of whom found the net against Tanzania.
Andreas Odhiambo, who came off the bench to score what proved to be a decisive goal in the second leg, has also made the cut, alongside highly rated midfielder Kevin Wangaya, who is expected to lead the team as captain.
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Kenya will host the first leg on Wednesday, November 11, at the Nyayo National Stadium, with kick-off scheduled for 3:00 pm.
The return leg will take place on Tuesday, November 17, at Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny in Abidjan, kicking off at 10:00 pm EAT.
Fans can purchase tickets for the first leg online at https://tickets.footballkenya.org/events/kenya-vs-cote-divoire-u23-afcon-2027-qualifier.
Regular tickets cost Ksh 200, while VIP tickets go for Ksh 1,000.
The Eemerging Stars will be aiming to secure a place among the 14 nations advancing from the second round to the decisive third round, where seven two-legged ties will determine the teams joining hosts Egypt at the finals.
The first legs of the third round are scheduled for March 22, 2027, with the return fixtures set for March 30, 2027.
The seven aggregate winners will qualify for the CAF U-23 AFCON Egypt 2027 alongside the hosts.
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Kenya U23 final squad to face Cote d’Ivoire in the AFCON U23 Qualifiers
- Goalkeepers: Caleb Kramer, Bernard Jairo, Kevin Oduor
- Defenders: Ian Omondi, Jackson Imbiakha, Robinson Musungu, Baron Ochieng, Price Musebe, Wycliffe Awiko, Telena Ochieng, Emmanuel Erupe
- Midfielders: Aldrine Kibet, Kevin Wangaya, Andres Odhiambo, Irad Mshindi, Humphrey Aroko, Oliver Majaka, Jack Munene Steel, Bernard Odhiambo
- Forwards: Brooklyn Kazungu, Lawrence Okoth, Paul Osama, Stephen Omondi, Dancan Odhiambo, Henry Omollo