New Dawn

Harambee Stars, the Kenya’s national senior football team will on Wednesday 23 commence a new era at 24 de Setembro Stadium when they visit Guinea Bissau in the AFCON 2017 qualifiers third round.

Stars under new Coach, 32 year old Stanley Okumbi, and new FA President, 36 year old Nick Mwendwa, are out on a mission filled with enormous expectations in the Portuguese speaking west African nation.

This will be the duos first assignment since assuming office this year, and they are making sure it’s a success, knowing very well the pressure at home to show that the new regime is a cut from a different piece of cloth.

Okumbi, formerly of Mathare United in the Kenyan Premier League succeeded Scotsman Bobby Williamson who left no mark with national team, while Nick Mwendwa took over from Sam Nyamweya who was widely condemned for “killing” the game, as Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President.

The team chattered a flight to Bissau on Monday with 11 home based professionals and a supporting staff of 18, just to make sure logistics are well taken care of, unlike in the past when the national pride was subjected to embarrassing conditions while on foreign missions due to lack of better planing.

Team News

The team is near full house with today’s arrival of Zambia based trio of Anthony Akumu, Jesse Were and David Owino; striker Michael Olunga (Sweden) , Johanna Omollo (Belgium), Arnold Origi (Norway) and Brian Mandela (SA) were the first to reach Bissau by Monday.

England based captain Victor Wanyama who had issues with travel arrangements and was stranded in Morocco is expected tomorrow.

Like the host, Kenya is winless in the group (E), both having a point each from draws picked from the opening round of the qualifiers against Zambia and Congo Brazzaville respectively – hence leaving no room for slip ups in this crunch tie.

Head to head

This will be the second meeting between the two countries having met twice during the 2012 AFCON qualifiers. Djurtus as Guinea Bissau team is nicknamed won the first leg 1-0 on September 3,2010 while the Harambee Stars revenged 2-1 in the second round on September 1,2011.

Guinea Bissau also have a new Coach, 68 year old Bicaro Cande who is also the Coach of top league side Sporting de Bissau. The team is currently ranked 147 in the FIFA World Ranking, 44 places off a better ranked Kenya at 103.

Some of the players to watch from the Guinea Bissau side

– Attacking mid José Luís Mendes Lopes aka Zezinho of sporting club Portugal who scored a brace against Congo at home .
– Experienced centreback Ibraime Cassama of Interclube Angola who scored away in Lome against Liberia
– Striker Amido Balde of Benfica club Luanda in Angola who scored the in world cup qualiers return.
– Sumaila Djassi of local club Sporting Bissau Benfica the 2015 league champions and also league’s top scorer

@bonfaceosano

Bonface Osano

African Football Writer contributing @Soka25east | Commentator; appeared on @MySoccerAfrica, @KweseSports, @ntvkenya, others | Keen follower of African Football. E-mail: bonfaceosano@gmail.com