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Kenya: Soccer - Kenyan Juniors in Must-Win Clash
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The Nation (Nairobi)
3 May 2008
Posted to the web 2 May 2008
Charles Nyende
Nairobi
Kenya Under-20 team take on their Somalia counterparts on Saturday at the Nyayo National Stadium in a must-win preliminary round, return Africa Youth Championship qualifier. The hosts trail 1-2 from their first leg match held in Djibouti a fortnight ago.
Kenya coach Leonard Saleh has promised Saturday will be a different match from the artificial pitch, 40 degrees Celsius atmosphere of their first encounter.
"It will be a different ball game on Saturday. The players now know what to do with the ball, where to be and who to play to," Saleh said.
The all important pre-match difference is the one-goal deficit that weighs on Kenya Under-20 as they attempt to become the only football team in the country to get past the preliminary round of continental competition this season following the failures of Harambee Stars and Kenya Under-17.
Saleh was, however, bullish over the encounter with minnows Somalia.
"I am confident with the team. We will deliver on Saturday," he said.
He added: "We need to get goals all through the match. But we will try to be patient. I know Somalia will want to play a very defensive game. In Djibouti they had nine players sitting in defense. We are looking at the same scenario of them trying to defend their one goal lead. But we will keep attacking."
The stage is thus set for a nervous encounter as Kenya try to avoid the unthinkable: Elimination by Somalia.
Saleh has virtually the same side that lost two weeks ago with the only change the inclusion of forward Hussein Puzo.
The youth coach said he will employ a 4-4-2 system. Finus Odhiambo of Kenyan Premier League side Agro Chemicals and Evans Okoth are the two options in goal.
Mahakama's Robert Onyango, Diducus Oduor, Christian Mwanzo and Hannan Maloba are expected to compose the defence line with KCB play maker Kevin Kimani commanding a four-man midfield.
Others who should start in midfield are Ali Ahmed, Victor Omondi and Christopher Omondi. Swaleh has a choice of four strikers and is likely to start Maurice Odhiambo who recently underwent trials with Czech Republic club SIAD Most and Calson Mwaresa of KCB in a useful looking twin attack.
Other choices in the search for goals are Stephen Waruru and Puzo. Somalia are an unknown quality.
All through this week they played a hide and seek game with the Kenya Football Federation.
The Somalis arrived unannounced at JKI Airport on Tuesday, two days earlier than scheduled, and ended up getting stranded at the airport for more than half a day before they were cleared through immigration.
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They initially declined the hotel they were booked in by the federation, Roaster Inn, off Thika Road.
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