Amrouche without key trio for Lesotho tie
PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO Harambee Stars Johanna Omollo (right) tussles for the ball with Comoros' Mohamad Yousouf during their Africa Cup of Nations Group first-round first-leg qualifiers tie played at Nyayo Stadium on May 18, 2014. Omollo will not travel with the team to Lesotho due to club commitment.
What you need to know:
- The trio's respective European clubs are reluctant to release them as this tie doesn't fall under FIFA's designated international match days.
- Stars will require significant improvement from the lethargic performance displayed against Burundi in a friendly tie on Tuesday if they are to stand a chance of upstaging Seephephe Matete's charges.
- The return leg tie will be contested at the Afraha Stadium in Nakuru County on August 2.
Harambee Stars coach Adel Amrouche is sweating over the availability of some of his dependable players ahead of Sunday's 2015 Africa Nations Cup qualifier away to Lesotho.
The team departs for Maseru on Thursday morning for the first leg clash against the Likuena at the Setsosto Stadium with uncertainty over the availability of star players Dennis Oliech, Arnold Origi and Johanna Omollo.
The trio's respective European clubs are reluctant to release them as this tie doesn't fall under Fifa's designated international match days.
"Dennis (Oliech) might not come, his club (Ajaccio) say they only release their players during the stipulated Fifa calendar dates," the player's brother and local manager Nixon Oliech told NationSport.
OBURU SET TO START
Origi, meanwhile, confirmed his absence on his official Facebook page on Tuesday for the same reasons, a move that is certain to hand his understudy — Bandari's Wilson Oburu — a starting role.
Star midfielder Johanna Omollo — who scored in the previous round of this competition against Comoros — is also a doubt for this clash, a development that has forced Amrouche, who is also suspended for the game, to hand Tusker's Brian Osumba a call-up.
"We are psyched up for this tie, our target is to avoid defeat in Maseru, a result that will put us in a good position ahead of the return leg," El Merreikh forward Allan Wanga, who is primed to replace Oliech upfront, told Nation Sport.
Stars will require significant improvement from the lethargic performance displayed against Burundi in a friendly tie on Tuesday if they are to stand a chance of upstaging Seephephe Matete's charges.
Meanwhile, Matete might be forced to look for alternatives for midfielders Ralekoti Mokhahlane, Motlalepula Mofolo and striker Thapelo Tale, who picked up injuries and were all substituted as Lesotho went down 0-2 to Botswana in an international friendly in Gaborone on Monday.
Mokhahlane scored when Kenya last played Lesotho last year at the Cosafa Cup. First choice custodian Mohau Kuenane was also injured in a collision with a Botswana player.
"It is always worrying when your players suffer injuries just days before a crunch match like the Sunday qualifier against Kenya, but we are still hopeful of beating them," the coach told Cafonline.
The return leg tie will be contested at Afraha Stadium in Nakuru County on August 2.
