M. KisengeNzoia Sugar midfielder handed maiden Stars call up
Reading Time: 2min | Wed. 10.03.21. | 14:31
25-year old midfielder added to the provisional squad for the forthcoming friendlies and qualifiers
Nzoia Sugar defensive midfielder Kevin Juma has vowed to hand Harambee Stars head coach Jacob ‘Ghost’ Mulee a selection headache when he names his final squad for the final 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier double against Egypt and Togo.
Juma quietly walked into the Stars camp gearing for the two matches on Wednesday afternoon after Ghost summoned him late last week.
Prior to the qualifiers, Stars will gauge their preparedness against South Sudan on March 13 at the Nyayo National Stadium before taking on Tanzania in two legs scheduled for March 15 and 18 respectively.
The 25-year old is arguably one of this season’s revelations caught Ghosts eye courtesy of his drudgery work in shielding the Nzoia defence and was consequently handed his maiden call to the team.
Juma, a former student at Chekulo Friends High School in Bungoma said his eyes were fixed in nailing down a slot in the final team for the qualifiers.
Stars will host the record African champions on March 25 and thereafter, wrap their pool G matches away to Togo on March 29.
"It is an honour to be considered for national team duties. I honestly never saw it coming considering that I have never made it to the junior teams (U-17,20 and 23). The best way to repay the head coach's faith is by giving one hundred percent in the training session. I hope I will make to the final squad for the buildup and qualifiers matches," he exclusively told Mozzart Sport
The former pupil at Shaermoi Primary School in Naivasha who plays alongside the experienced Peter Gin in the midfielder credits coach Bernard Mwalala and veteran tactician Vincent Sifuma for bringing him to the fold. Gin has been a loyal servant at Nzoia for more than a decade.
Juma joined the sugar millers in 2018 from the Bukembe based Chandawa FC.
"Mwalala scouted me when I was playing in the grassroots and brought me to the senior league. He was patient with me and helped me develop thick skin. Playing with Gin over the years has also helped me get better," he added
In the meantime, Nzoia head coach Ibrahim Shikanda has expressed his gratitude to the national team technical bench for including Juma in the provisional squad.
