Benni McCarthy has named his 24-man travelling Harambee Stars squad to Morocco to take on Chad in back-to-back friendly encounters as he continues preparing charges for CHAN 2024.
Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy has included Mohammed Bajaber and William Lenkupae in the final travelling squad for the two friendlies against Chad set to be played in Marrakech, Morocco, on 7th and 10th June.
The team, which is set to depart Nairobi on Tuesday night ahead of the back-to-back matches, which form part of Kenya’s preparations for upcoming international competitions, including the upcoming 2024 African Nations Championships, which the country will co-host alongside Tanzania and Uganda.
Understandably, McCarthy has selected a core of local-based players in order to give them the exposure they need ahead of the tournament, having already dropped a number of notable international based players, including Michael Olunga and Erick ‘Marcelo’ Ouma.
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Only four of the 24 man squad are internationally based, namely Brian Bwire, William Lenkupae, Adam Wilson and Brian Mandela.
McCarthy had already spoken about the need to have a look at different players in order to strengthen his pool of options on Monday for future competitions.
McCarthy: We Are Building For CHAN 2024
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Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy.
Harambee Stars coach and Bafana Bafana legend Benni McCarthy.
“Everyone looks very enthusiastic and in good spirits, so I hope we’re going to have a good week,” McCarthy told FKF Media. “These two friendly matches are mainly to help players build some match fitness and get us going as we prepare for CHAN.”
“We want to build a really strong squad for the upcoming games and long-term goals like AFCON 2027. That’s why players like Adam are here.”
McCarthy also justified the inclusion of other internationals that have not been getting alot of gametime at club level, such as Timothy Ouma, Brian Mandela and Wilson Lenkupae, who scored on his international debut last March.
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“Will Wilson, for example, was crucial in our two World Cup qualifying matches. But since then, he hasn’t played as much club football as he’d like. This camp gives him two good matches to stay sharp and remain involved.”
On Mandela, who features for South African outfit Stellenbosch FC, McCarthy added:
“He hasn’t played a lot either. But his presence is vital — he can marshal the younger players and guide them with his experience.”
Final squad
Goalkeepers: Brian Bwire, Faruk Shikalo, Sepstianos Wekesa
Defenders: Brian Mandela, Alphonce Omija, Sylvester Owino, Siraj Mohammed, Abud Omar, Daniel Sakari, Swaleh Pamba, Lewis Bandi
Midfielders: Brian Musa, Alpha Onyango, Austine Odhiambo, Ben Stanley Omondi, Boniface Muchiri, Mohammed Bajaber, William Lenkupae, Adam Wilson, James Kinyanjui, David Sakwa,
Forwards: Beja Nyamawi, Moses Shumah, Emmanuel Osoro
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