The national soccer team Harambee Stars, will face Burkina Faso tonight in their opening game of the Mapinduzi Cup at Gombani Stadium in Zanzibar.
The match is scheduled to kick off at 8.15pm.
Kenya Police FC defender Abud Omar who has been handed the Captain’s arm band expressed his desire to help the team win the opening fixture which will set their momentum in the tournament.
The experienced left-back, who has been a key figure in the national team setup for years, shared his pride and determination after taking on the leadership role.
“It’s a privilege and honour to be named captain. Having been part of the national team setup for a long time, I understand what this role means. Winning the Mapinduzi Cup is our bare minimum. I’ll demand more from the players, but above all, I must lead by example as an experienced player and a veteran of the team,” said Abud.
Speaking about the team’s readiness, Abud expressed confidence in the squad’s preparations and balance:
“We have prepared well, and the team is in good shape. There’s a perfect blend of senior players and young talents who have shown immense potential and worked hard to make the final squad. We are not underdogs, and the target from the onset is to win the Mapinduzi Cup. Anything less would be a failure.”
The Mapinduzi Cup Tournament is originally fashioned for regional clubs but has been tweaked this year to offer the CHAN co-hosting nations, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania a platform to test their readiness ahead of the February Event.
After playing against Burkina Faso, they will face Taifa Stars of Tanzania on Tuesday next week and wrap up their group matches against Zanzibar on Friday next week.
Kenya is using the tournament as part of their preparations for the 2024 Africa Nations Championship (CHAN), which they will co-host alongside Uganda and Tanzania.
HARAMBEE STARS SQUAD
Goalkeepers; Byrne Odhiambo, Faruk Shikalo, Sepstanious Wekesa.
Defenders; Sylvester Owino, Hanif Wesonga, Alphonce Omija, Brian Okoth, Abud Omar, Siraj Mohammed, Ronney Onyango, Daniel Sakari.
Midfielders; Michael Mutinda, Chrispine Erambo, Brian Musa, Kelly Madada, Austine Odhiambo, Kenneth Muguna, Ben Stanley Omondi, Mohammed Bajaber, Boniface Muchiri, Darius Msagah, James Kinyanjui.
Forwards: Moses Shumah, Ryan Ogam.
