'Exciting' Mathare ace joins U23 camp ahead of Sudan showdown

Mathare United midfielder James Kinyanjui (#17) celebrates his goal against Kakamega Homeboyz in a SportPesa Premier League match at Bukhungu stadium on March 17, 2019. PHOTO | SAMUEL GACHARIRA |

What you need to know:

  • Head coach Francis Kimanzi and his charges will be hoping to overturn the 2-0 deficit they suffered in the first leg on Wednesday in Khartoum when the two sides clash on Tuesday at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.
  • The 20-year-old has been instrumental to the Slum Boys’ fine start to the 2018/19 SportPesa Premier League (SPL) season.

Mathare United winger James Kinyanjui has been called up to the Kenya Under-23 as the teams prepare to face their Sudan counterparts in the return leg of their 2019 Africa Under-23 Cup of Nations second round qualifier.

Head coach Francis Kimanzi and his charges will be hoping to overturn the 2-0 deficit they suffered in the first leg on Wednesday in Khartoum when the two sides clash on Tuesday at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.

The 20-year-old, who joined Mathare United from Thika United in November last year, has been instrumental to the Slum Boys’ fine start to the 2018/19 SportPesa Premier League (SPL) season.

Kinyanjui - who plays on the offensive flanks, has scored two goals and provided six assists in 18 league games - amassing 1447 minutes of playtime with the 2008 champions this term.

The Passenga Secondary alumni has been named man-of-the-match by his club on six occasions.

Also in Kimanzi’s plans is Sofapaka striker Pistone Mutamba, 21, who has netted two goals in the qualifiers so far.

Mutamba travelled with the senior team, Harambee Stars, for their 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifier away to Ghana slated for Saturday in Accra.

“We expect some other players we left who are in other clubs that are good enough to compete in this team,” Kimanzi told Nation Sport at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport moments after jetting back from Sudan on Friday.

“We had to juggle between U23 and the senior team so we hope that players who are with the senior team will be back in time for the Tuesday match,” he added.

Kimanzi believes they stand a chance of of going through at Kasarani.

“There is a chance for us on Tuesday again, we shouldn’t press the panic button as there’s huge possibility to do better bearing in mind the quality of the opponent.”

The team went straight to camp in readiness for the reverse fixture.