4 foreign-based players included in Benni McCarthy's final Harambee Stars squad to Morocco
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Reading Time: 2min | Tue. 03.06.25. | 20:27
The two games will form part of Kenya's preparations for the upcoming CHAN
Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy has officially named the final travelling squad for the two friendlies against Chad set to be played in Marrakech, Morocco, on Saturday, 7 and Tuesday, 10 June, respectively.
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The team, which reported to camp on Monday, 2 June, will depart the country on Tuesday night ahead of the back-to-back matches, which form part of Kenya’s preparations for upcoming international competitions.
Mostly comprised of local-based players, McCarthy has only made two changes to his provisional squad, with Gor Mahia defender Sylvester Owino replacing Bidco's Kenneth Nyamwaya, and Slavia Prague's Timothy Ouma being dropped all-together.
Austin Odhiambo, called upon in place of former skipper Victor Wanyama who withdrew from the team due to "personal reasons", meanwhile makes the final 24-man squad.
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And though the team is being viewed as one that will offer the blueprint ahead of a home 2024 African Nations Championships (CHAN) in August, McCarthy has retained four foreign-based players in his squad including: Brian Bwire, Brian Mandela, Adam Wilson and William Lenkupae.
Addressing their inclusion, McCarthy on Monday stated that he "needed to see" how Wilson plays for the national team, wanted Lenkupae to "stay sharp" having not played much club football, while Mandela was roped in to "marshal the younger players and guide them with his experience.”
Speaking at the end of a two-day camp in Nairobi, McCarthy said the two friendlies against Chad - ranked a whooping 66 places below Kenya - come at the right time, adding: "The matches will give me the opportunity to look at the players I have seen from the games we've gone to watch, and some videos of games from players that I did not have the chance to go and watch playing for their clubs."
Assessing the mood in the camp, the South African tactician said: "Today's session was even better because everyone was here: full capacity. I am happy with what I saw - the intensity, attitude, ability and quality. I think they can make a very good team."
Final squad
Goalkeepers: Brian Bwire, Faruk Shikalo, Sepstianos Wekesa
Defenders: Brian Mandela, Alphoce Omija, Sylvester Owino, Siraj Mohammed, Abud Omar, Daniel Sakari, Swaleh Pamba, Lewis Bandi
Midfielders: Brian Musa, Alpha Onyango, Austine Odhiambo, Ben Stanley Omondi, Boniface Muchiri, Mohammed Bajaber, William Lenkupae, Adam Wilson, James Kinyanjui, David Sakwa
Forwards: Beja Nyamawi, Moses Shumah, Emmanuel Osoro.
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