Harambee Stars tactician, Engin Firat has on Sunday unveiled a 23-man squad to take on 2018 World Cup hosts Russia in an international friendly match scheduled for October 16 in Antalya, Turkey.
This match is built up to the coming 2026 World Cup qualifiers that are set for November 13 to 21.
Stars are placed in Group 'F' alongside Seychelles, Burundi, Gambia, Gabon and Côte d’Ivoire.
The squad has a blend of local and internationally-based players, with Vincent Harper and Rooney Onyango, earning their maiden call-up to the national team.
Vincent Harper is an England-based defender who plays for Exeter FC in League One, a third tier of the English football league system.
Gor Mahia’s right-back Rooney Onyango has been impressive for the league champions since he joined at the start of the year thus earning him a call-up.
Tusker’s Brian Bwire returns to the squad to replace Zambia-based Ian Otieno while Daniel Sakari also of Tusker comes back to the squad after a long battle with injury
South Africa-based midfielder Ovella Ochieng makes his return to the team for the first time since 2020.
The Turkish tactician has also called up AFC Leopards’ Cliffton Miheso.
Those dropped from the squad include Clarke Oduor who was substituted in the friendly match against South Sudan last month as well as Daniel Anyemba.
Other players left out of the squad include Otieno, Abud Omar, Timothy Ouma, Duke Abuya, Ayub Masika, and Elvis Rupia.
The forward line will remain the same as the last international friendlies with the current FKF premier league top scorer Benson Omalla, overlooked.
Captain Michael Olunga, Masud Juma, Joseph Okumu, Brian Mandela, Johnstone Omurwa, Eric Ouma, Amos Nondi, Richard Odada, and Teddy Akumu, are some players forming the foreign-based contingent.
To prepare for this final friendly ahead of their World Cup Qualifiers in November, the team will travel on Monday and camp in Turkey ahead of the friendly.
Goalkeepers: Patrick Matasi, Brian Bwire, Bryne Odhiambo; Defenders: Joseph Stanley Okumu, Brian Mandela, Johnstone Omurwa, Collins Sichenje, Erick Ouma, Rooney Onyango, Daniel Sakari, Vincent Harper, Amos Nondi
Midfielders: Richard Odada, Anthony Akumu, Kenneth Muguna, Alpha Onyango, Ayub Timbe, Ovella Ochieng; Forwards: Masoud Juma, Alfred Scriven, Cliffton Miheso, Moses Shummah, Michael Olunga
