Hello

Your subscription is almost coming to an end. Don’t miss out on the great content on Nation.Africa

Ready to continue your informative journey with us?

Hello

Your premium access has ended, but the best of Nation.Africa is still within reach. Renew now to unlock exclusive stories and in-depth features.

Reclaim your full access. Click below to renew.

Subscribe for a month to get full access

Stars, Kenya friendly called off

Taifa Stars striker Mbwana Samata controls the ball during a training session at Karume Memorial Stadium in Dar es Salaam yesterday. Samata and Thomas Ulimwengu, who ply their trade in DR Congo with TP Mazembe, arrived in the country earlier this week ready for an international friendly match against Kenya, which has been called off. PHOTO | VENANCE NESTORY

What you need to know:

  • Football Kenya Federation chief executive officer Michael Esakwa confirmed yesterday that Harambee Stars’ technical bench was not ready for the friendly.

Dar es Salaam. Kenya has cancelled the eagerly awaited international friendly match between the national soccer teams, Taifa Stars and Harambee Stars that was to take place on Tuesday at the National; Stadium.

Football Kenya Federation chief executive officer Michael Esakwa confirmed yesterday that Harambee Stars’ technical bench was not ready for the friendly.

“We have been forced to call off our international friendly match against Tanzania because the technical bench insists they are not ready to honour the fixture.”

Also Read

Last Tuesday, Harambee Stars coach Adel Amrouche, while confirming the match, said he had called a full squad for the fixture which falls under the Fifa calendar and already a number of foreign-based players were in Nairobi ready for the duel.

AC Ajaccio striker and former captain Dennis Oliech, who arrived last Sunday, said he was looking forward to the friendly.

“It is great to come back and represent my country, and I look forward to this match which we hope can help the team rise in the Fifa rankings,” said Oliech.

Amrouche confirmed he had also recalled Norway-based goalkeeper Arnold Origi.

“Victor Wanyama (Southampton), David ‘Cheche’ Ochieng (Al Tawuon) and Jamal Mohammed (Oman), have all arrived and are ready for the match,” Amrouche said then. When contacted for comment, Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) acting secretary general Boniface Wambura confirmed that the match has been cancelled.

“As of now, we are courting teams from other African countries for the friendly,” Wambura told The Citizen on Sunday yesterday.

Meanwhile, Kilimanjaro Stars head coach, Kim Poulsen admits that they face an arduous task in this year’s Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup.

Kilimanjaro Stars are in Group B alongside former Africa Nations Cup champions Zambia, Burundi and Somalia in the tournament, which gets underway on November 27 in Kenya.

“If you look at our group, it looks very difficult with opponents like Zambia, who are highly ranked in the Fifa rankings,” Poulsen, also Taifa Stars head coach, said.

“Zambia has a very experienced and compact squad. Their team is made up of over 90 per cent of the squad which excelled at the Africa Nations Cup finals two years ago.

“We have to prepare very well and play some preparatory games before the tournament. We will do our very best for our country and I believe my boys are aware of the task ahead,” he said.

In the headlines