Nairobi Star (Nairobi)
Franc is Wadegu
26 March 2011
Kenyan hopes of qualifying for the African Cup of Nations rest with the result of today’s game against Angola A chance to rekindle the fickle flame powering their pursuit for a place in next year’s African Cup of Nations finals in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea beckons today for Kenya’s Harambee Stars.
They face Angola’s Palanca Negras in a group “J” match at Nyayo National Stadium (kick off 4pm) A point from two matches has seen the door closing fast and Harambee Stars are alive to that fact. “This is a must win game for us if we are to get up from the bottom of the group and enhance our chances of qualifying for the Nations Cup:” said coach Zedekiah “Zico” Otieno
The reason Kenya lies bottom of their group is one – they are not scoring goals. Main goal getter Dennis Oliech has not hit the back of the net in these qualifiers, something he said will change today. “It is not important that I score. The most important thing is for us to get the three points against Angola and to do that we have to score,” he said
Zico named his squad of eighteen players on Thursday evening, including Rangers winger Joseph Nyaga who will be in line to win his first cap for Stars and Sofapaka left back Abdulatif Omar.
Good news for Stars is that they have a good record against Angola here in Nairobi. When the two countries last met Stars had the last laugh. Oliech and the absent Patrick Oboya scored a goal apiece to give Kenya a 2-1 victory in a dead rubber tie in the qualifiers for the 2008 biennial African showpiece.
Zico is likely to stick to a flexible 4-5-1 formation with Oliech spearheading the attack supported from midfield by Germinia Beerschot playmaker Victor Mugabe and the two wingers.
Inter Milan midfielder Macdonald Mariga has oozed confidence throughout his three day stay in camp. That will be tested today in his role as the mainstay of the Stars midfield. Mariga will have to contend with talented home based players like Collins Okoth who will be playing the role of midfield destroyer.
In defence an ultimate test of composure awaits Edgar Ochieng, James Situma and Abdulatif Omar in their bid to keep in check former Manchester United striker Manucho who scored in his last trip to Nairobi. “We are not going to give anybody special attention because the match is eleven against eleven and the better team (which I hope will be us) will win,”said Mariga on Wednesday.
A win for Kenya will be a morale booster for Otieno and his charges while defeat will all but confine Stars to watching the Afcon matches on television as former coach Jacob “Ghost” Mulee ominously stated prior to the barren draw with group leaders Uganda last year.
Squad:
Goalkeepers -Arnold Origi (Norway), Francis Ochieng (Ulinzi). Defenders – Edgar Ochieng, James Situma, Abdulatif Omar (Sofapaka), Dennis Odhiambo (SA), Joseph Shikokoti (Tusker), Lloyd Wahome (Mathare United).
Midfielders-MacDonald Mariga ( Inter Milan), Johanna Omollo (Luxembourg), Collins Okoth, Jamal Mohammed (Kuwait), Stephen Waruru (Ulinzi), Kevin Omondi (Gor), Paul Were (Tusker) and Joseph Nyaga (Rangers).
Forwards- Dennis Oliech (AJ Auxerre), Victor Mugabe (Belgium), George Odhiambo (Denmark), Bob Mugalia (Sofapaka)
AllAfrica – All the Time
Excerpt from:
Kenya: Do Or Die for Stars