Harambee Stars head coach, Engin Firat, has unveiled the squad that will be travelling to play an international friendly match against 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar on Thursday.
The squad departed for Doha on Wednesday at 1am. They will have a chance to familiarise themselves with the playing field later in the afternoon in preparation for the match on Thursday.
Out of the 23-man squad, only six are local-based players with the other 17 spots filled by foreign-based players.
Goalkeepers Byrne Odhiambo (KCB) and Patrick Matasi (Kenya Police FC) are the only local-based keepers who will be joined by Ian Otieno who ply his trade in Zambia for Zesco United.
Abud Omar (Kenya Police) is the only defender picked locally and he will be joined by Collins Sichenje (AIK, Sweden), Josep Okumu (Stade Reims, France), Brian Mandela (Mamelodi Sundowns, South Africa), Johnstone Omurwa (Estrela, Portugal), Daniel Anyembe (Viborg, Denmark), Eric Ouma (AIK, Sweden) and Amos Nondi (Ararat, Armenia).
Kenneth Muguna of Kenya Police is the sole midfielder from a local-based club. Richard Odada (AaB, Denmark), Teddy Akumu (Sagan Tosu, Japan), Timothy Ouma (IF Elfsborg, Sweden), Duke Abuya (Singida Fountain Gate, Tanzania), Ayub Masika (Nanjing City Football Club, China), Alfred Scriven (IL Hødd, Norway) and Clarke Oduor (Bradford City AFC, England) make up the list of midfielders selected.
Elvis Rupia of Kenya Police FC and Mosses Shummah of Kakamega Homeboyz headline the local contingent of strikers selected.
The other forwards named include Harambee Stars captain Michael Olunga who plays for Al Duhail in Qatar and Masud Juma of Al Jabalain in Saudi Arabia.
Defender David Ochieng (Mathare United) as well as Abdallah Hassan (Bandari), Kariobangi Sharks prodigy Stanley Wilson and Austin Odhiambo have been dropped from the 23-man squad that travelled.
The four, however, might have a part to play in next Tuesday’s friendly match against South Sudan in Nairobi.
The Turkish tactician hopes that this friendly will be a way to fire up the squad and gauge their readiness ahead of the World Cup qualification matches.
“All these matches are to help us test different circumstances. We are playing a tough team, the Asian champions and it is long since Kenya played a tough team,” he said.
