• Harambee Stars will have a three-week training camp in France in preparation for their return to the African Cup of Nations that kicks off in Egypt in mid-June.
Image: FILE
National team coach Sébastien Migné has named provisional squads for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations, which Kenya will be taking part in for the first time in 15 years.
The coach has also named a 32-man provisional squad for the upcoming Africa Nations Championships qualifiers where Kenya is set to face Burundi in the first round in August 2019.
The AFCON squad largely features players who took part in the qualification phase. Ayub Timbe has also been included in the list, after sitting out the final qualifying match against Ghana through injury.
Enos Ochieng, Joe Waithira, Abdalla Hassan and Kenneth Muguna, meanwhile, highlight players called up to the CHAN squad.
The AFCON-bound team is scheduled to jet out to Paris, on May 31, 2019, and has already been booked at the French Rugby Federation, Marcoussis Cedex where they will hold a 19-day residential camp before flying out to Cairo Egypt, on June 19, 2019, in time for the continental showpiece.
Football Kenya Federation has also secured two friendly matches in France, against Madagascar on June 7, and the Gambia a week later, on June 15, 2019. Kenya will play her Group C AFCON matches at the 30 June Stadium in Cairo. The first match will see Stars face Algeria on June 23. Tanzania will be up next on June 27, before Harambee Stars wind it up with a match against Senegal on July 1, 2019.
The Africa Nations Championships Qualifier against Burundi, in the meantime, is set to be played in August 2019. The winner of the tie on aggregate will face off with either of Tanzania or Sudan in the second and final qualifying round of the tournament, set to be held in Ethiopia in January 2020.
Kenya will be looking to make a maiden appearance at the 16-team tourney reserved exclusively for players actively featuring in their respective national championships.
AFCON Provisional Squad
Goalkeepers: Patrick Matasi (St. Georges, Ethiopia), Faruk Shikhalo (Bandari FC, Kenya), John Oyemba (Kariobangi Sharks, Kenya).
Defenders: Philemon Otieno (Gor Mahia-Kenya), Musa Mohammed (Nkana FC-Zambia), Joash Onyango (Gor Mahia-Kenya), Abud Omar (Sepsi Sfântu-Romania), David Owino (Zesco United-Zambia), Bernard Ochieng (Vihiga United-Kenya), Brian Mandela (Maritzburg United-South Africa), Erick Ouma (Vasalund IF-Sweden) and Joseph Okumu.
Midfielders: Victor Wanyama (Tottenham Hotspurs-England), Anthony Akumu (Zesco United-Zambia), Eric Johanna (IF Bromma-Sweden), Ismael Gonzales (UD Las Palmas-Spain), Francis Kahata (Gor Mahia-Kenya), Dennis Odhiambo (Sofapaka FC-Kenya), Johanna Omollo (Cercle Brugge-Belgium), Christopher Mbamba (Oskarshamns AIK-Sweden), Clifton Miheso, Whyvonne Isuza.
Forwards: Paul Were (AFC Leopards-Kenya), Ayub Timbe (Beijing Renhe-China), Michael Olunga (Kashiwa Reysol-Japan), Allan Wanga (Kakamega Homeboyz-Kenya), Massud Juma, John Avire, Ochieng Ovella.
CHAN Provisional Squad
Goalkeepers: Farouk Shikalo, John Oyemba, Brian Bwire
Defenders: Philemon Otieno, Joash Onyango, Bernard Ochieng, Charles Momanyi, Michael Kibwage, Andrew Juma, David Ochieng, David Owino, Eric Juma
Midfielders: Roy Okal, Teddy Osok, Patillah Omotto, Dennis Odhiambo, Ibrahim Shambi, Duke Abuya, Whyvonne Izusa, Cliff Nyakeya, Kenneth Muguna, Francis Kahata, Samuel Onyango, Paul Were, Abdalla Hassan, Joe Waithera
Forwards: John Avire, Sydney Lokale, Nicholas Kipkirui, Piston Mutamba, Allan Wanga, Enos Ochieng