Under 23 team up against Egyptian
The national under 23 team will on Sunday evening play against Egypt in the All Africa qualifying match in Cairo as the women’s team tackles Egypt in a friendly encounter in Machakos.
The Kenyan team arrived in Cairo on Saturday morning for the high stakes match. Before the team’s departure coach Bobby Williamson acknowledged that the match would be tough.
“It is a very tough fixture, especially considering the fact that our training sessions have not been that regular but I have asked the team to believe in themselves and give their best during the match,” Williamson said.
The junior team in Cairo is missing seven premier league players who were unable to turn up for the team due to club duties.
Michael Olunga, Timothy Otieno, Bernard Odhiambo and Harun Shakava are in Madagascar for the Champions League return match against CNaPS, while Danson Kago, Enoch Agwanda and Collins Shivachi featured for Sofapaka in Saturday’s 1-2 loss to Zimbabwean club FC Platinum in a Caf Confederations Cup tie.
MORALE BOOST
The Egyptians are however no strange foes for the Scottish coach who was in charge when the senior team lost by a solitary goal against The Pharaos in a friendly match in Cairo in September last year.
In Machakos, the ladies team will be undertake their first assignment of the season against the Egyptians in preparation for the 2016 Olympic qualifiers against Botswana scheduled for April this year.
Their opponents arrived in the country on Friday evening and Coach Doreen Nabwire told Nairobi News that they are aiming to win the match to get a morale boost morale head of the match against Botswana.
“We have been training hard for the match and the entire team is very confident. I know that we shall come up against strong opponents but we shall try our best to possibly grab a win,” the former Kenya international said.
The local team has been in residential training at the Moi International Sports Center Kasarani and will be led by Cherise Avilia and Neddy Atieno who turn up for Division One Side Kenya Methodist University.