Kenya’s Harambee Stars Captain and Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Victor Mugubi Wanyama will miss DR Congo international warm-up in Kinshasa on Tuesday due to fatigue.
“Coach Stanley Okumbi after consultation with Tottenham Hotspurs has opted against calling Harambee Stars Team Captain Victor Wanyama,” a statement from Football Kenya Federation stated explaining that the decision is in his best interest.
“The decision was made in the players best interest, as the technical bench felt that it would not be in Victor’s best interest to play two matches in two continents in under 48 hours.”
Wanyama who yesterday delivered a man of the match performance for the North Londoners in their emphatic 2-0 win over Man City at the White Hart Lane, has been a regular figure for Stars and will be surely missed against the star-studded Leopards.
In his absence Zesco United’s Anthony Akumu, Chemelil Sugar’s Victor Majid and Spain based Ismael Gonzalez will be available for selection.
The team depart for Kinshasa Monday noon and are expected back on Thursday morning.
Four foreign based players including Djurgardens IF prolific striker Michael Olunga, defender Abud Omar (Bulgaria), Amos Esakahlie (Finland) and Gonzalez will link up with the rest of the team in Congo before the match.
DRC are are preparing for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers tie at home against Libya while Kenya who were knocked-out in the preliminaries are building for the future with eyes on AFCON 2019.
The Full Squad:
Goalkeepers: Bonface Oluoch and James Saruni
Defenders: Haron Shakava, Joakins Atudo, Eric Ouma, David Owino, David Ochieng, Brian Mandela, Abud Omar
Midfielders: Ismael Gonzalez, Anthony Akumu, Victor Majid, Amos Ekhalie, Rama Salim, Eric Johanna and Paul Were
Strikers: Jesse Were, John Mawatta and Michael Olunga
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