Skipper Wanyama, Olunga join Stars camp

Harambee Stars striker Michael Olunga during the team's training session at the Grand Stade de Marrakech training grounds on March 21, 2018. PHOTO | DAVID KWALIMWA |

What you need to know:

  • Stars captain and the team's poster boy, Victor Wanyama was the high profile arrival to the country's third largest city after Casablanca and Rabat, jetting in on Tuesday night.
  • And he didn’t come in alone.
  • The Sh5 billion-rated Tottenham Hotspur midfielder, who's just returned from a long-term knee injury, was accompanied on this trip by a doctor seconded by the English top-flight club.

In Marrakech, Morocco

Amid windy and chilly conditions here at the Grand Stade de Marrakech training grounds, Harambee Stars stand-in coach Stanley Okumbi Wednesday conducted a 90-minute training session consisting of the full squad of 22 players.

Stars are here to compete in two international friendlies against Comoros and the Central Africa Republic, games that are slated for Saturday and Tuesday respectively, and primed to fine tune the team ahead of their make-or-break 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Ghana in Nairobi in September.

Stars captain and the team's poster boy, Victor Wanyama was the high profile arrival to the country's third largest city after Casablanca and Rabat, jetting in on Tuesday night.

And he didn’t come in alone.

The Sh5 billion-rated Tottenham Hotspur midfielder, who's just returned from a long-term knee injury, was accompanied on this trip by a doctor seconded by the English top-flight club.

Harambee Stars captain Victor Wanyama (centre) during the team's training session at the Grand Stade de Marrakech training grounds on March 21, 2018. PHOTO | DAVID KWALIMWA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

The physician was spotted keenly assessing the player at Wednesday’s training session, while conversing with Stars medical team, even as Okumbi and his assistant Frank Ouna drilled the squad through passing the ball in tight situations, set-pieces and even penalties.

The other Kenyan stars trotting in at the team's Le Vizir Parc and Resort base from across the globe include Spanish -based duo of Michael Olunga and McDonald Mariga, with the latter making his return to the national team fold for the first time in four years.

"It's another opportunity to represent our country and we are going to give our best here. The target is to win both games," said Olunga, who is attached to Spanish La Liga side Girona.

Also in camp is left-back Aboud Omar (Slavia Sofia, Bulgaria), Paul Were, who had to travel from his base in Kazakhstan, via Belarus and Paris to Casablanca, Sweden-based duo of David Ochieng and Eric Johanna, Club Brugge's Johanna Omollo and the Zesco United trio of Jesse Were, David Owino and Anthony Akumu.

Harambee Stars midfielder McDonald Mariga takes a break at the team's training session at the Grand Stade de Marrakech training grounds on March 21, 2018. PHOTO | DAVID KWALIMWA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

FK Tirana central defender Musa Mohammed has been summoned to replace the injured Brian Mandela.

"The players have picked up first and you can spot their determination straight away. Most of them have peaked because they are playing regularly at their clubs and I'm looking forward to handing each some game time, said Okumbi.

Stars’ opponents are expected in Marrakech Thursday evening.