After a 15 years absence from Africa’s biggest football event, Kenya’s Harambee Stars will be in Egypt competing in the African Cup of Nations from the 21st of June. Kenya is grouped alongside Senegal, Algeria and East Africa neighbors Tanzania in group C.
Head coach Sebastian Migne has already named his 30 man provisional squad the team is currently in training at the Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi before a training camp in France once the Kenya Premier League season is finished. Below we take a look at players who are likely to light up the tournament.
Francis Kahata
The Gor Mahia attacking midfielder is a joy to watch even when he plays against your team. He has a gem of a left foot and his ability to almost always pick the right pass is unrivaled in the squad. Woud Nyambura will definitely be a starter for Sebastian Migne as he has been in all the qualifying matches.
Whoever starts as the striker for the Harambee Stars can always count on Kahata for supply from midfield as the Gor Mahia strikers have been throughout this season. His delivery on dead balls is exquisite too and many Kenyans will remember his Messi-like freekick a while back in the World Cup qualifiers against Nigeria in Calabar. Kahata is one for the opponents to keep an eye on which is a huge advantage for Sebastian Migne’s side.
Eric Ouma
Nicknamed as Marcelo by the Gor Mahia faithful during his highly successful stint at the club, the left-footer has it all. He has the technical ability that makes him a stand out performer every time he plays and the pace to match. He has been previously played as a left back where he got his nickname but Migne prefers him as a left winger due to the presence of Aboud Omar.
He scored with a thunderbolt of a shot in Kenya’s qualifier match with Ethiopia at the Kasarani Stadium and the country will be hoping for more in Egypt. Whether in defense or attack, Eric Ouma has what it takes to leave Africans asking for more.
Victor Wanyama
Captain, Leader, and legend will be fit to lead Harambee Stars in the nation’s first continental assignment since 2004! Alongside Sadio Mane and Riyad Mahrez, Wanyama will be one of the few stars in Cairo who plays for a Premier League club, a feat assured to earn him lots of admirers.
Besides that, however, he will be the team’s driving force in midfield and the guy to look for when things go wrong on the pitch. Wanyama is the most talented player in the squad and should he be fit and firing, Kenya will cause a few upsets in Cairo. He is a Champions League finalist and should all go well in the final against Liverpool, the Lion of Muthurwa will go into the tournament with a Champions League winners medal, only one Kenyan has that!