Why key Harambee Stars defender will miss this month's World Cup qualifiers

Harambee Stars defender Brian Mandela has revealed why he is not coming for this month’s World Cup qualifiers.

The player was conspicuously missing from the 28-man squad named by coach Engin Firat last week. The squad has already reported to camp ahead of the games against Gabon on Thursday and Seychelles on Monday next week.

Mandela, who turns out for newly crowned African Football League (AFL) champions Mamelodi Sundowns, said he is set to undergo a minor operation in the next two weeks that will keep him out of the World Cup qualifiers.

“I am scheduled to undergo an operation on my foot in the next two weeks. It has been a nuisance for a while, and I have informed the Harambee Stars coach of my unavailability for the two games,” he said.

The experienced confidence that he would have recovered by the beginning of next year and will be available for subsequent matches of the World Cup qualifiers that will resume in March 2024

“I wish the team well and hope to join them in January,” he told Mozzart Sport.

Mandela came on as a second-half substitute when his side beat Waydad Casablanca from Morrocco 2-0 on Sunday to clinch the inaugural edition of the AFL.

It was the only match he featured in among the six matches his club played prior to winning the trophy.

For winning the trophy, Sundowns pocketed an equivalent of KES 607 million, the highest-ever club competition prize money witnessed in any African football competition.

Sundowns overcome Wydad to become inaugural AFL champions

Harambee Stars' squad

Goalkeepers

Patrick Matasi (Kenya Police), Ian Otieno (Zesco), and Joseph Ochuka (Bandari)

Defenders

Nabi Kibunguchy (Orlando City), Hanif Wesonga (KCB), Abud Omar (Kenya Police), Daniel Sakari (Tusker), Geoffrey Ochieng (Gor Mahia), Daniel Anyembe (Viborg), Eric Ouma (AIK), Joseph Okumu (Reims), Johnstone Omurwa (CF Estrela), and Amos Nondi (Ararat)

Midfielders

Duncan Otieno (Gaborone United), Teddy Akumu (Sagan Tosu), Duke Abuya (Singida), Ayub Masika (Nanjing City), Kenneth Muguna (Kenya Police), Eric Balecho (Murang Seal), Rooney Onyango (Gor Mahia), Eric Johanna (UTA ARAD), Richard Odada (Aalborg), Alfred Scriven (Hodd), and Timothy Ouma (Elfsborg)

Forwards

Masud Juma (Al Faisaly), Michael Olunga (Al Duhail), Moses Shummah (Kakamega Homeboyz), Benson Omalla (Gor Mahia)

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