Charles Nyende
8 October 2008
Nairobi — Kenya coach Francis Kimanzi has made two changes to the squad to face Guinea on Sunday in a World Cup/Africa Cup of Nations Group Two decider match in Conakry.
From the team that beat Namibia 1-0 in Nairobi a month ago, Kimanzi has replaced KCB's Joseph Kamau with Kenya's top scorer in the campaign, Dennis Oliech, who returns from suspension.
Mathare United central defender Llyod Wahome comes in for dropped club mate Anthony Kimani.
The rest of the 18-man squad composed of two goalkeepers, seven defenders, six midfielders and four strikers, remains the same.
Mathare United's Duncan Ochieng retains his status after making a surprising comeback to the national side last month but will deputise for Noah Ayuko.
Mulinge Munandi and Jamal Mohammed look set to feature in their second qualifier after they, expectedly, got the nod.
The central actors in defensive are John Njoroge, George Owino and Edgar Ochieng, who have kept a clean sheet in 360 minutes of qualifier action.
Oliech leads a strike force of Allan Wanga, Francis Ouma and Patrick Oboya.
Parma's McDonald Mariga will be the mainstay in midfield and has Mohammed, Robert Mambo, Austin Makacha, Kevin Ochieng and Osborne Monday for company
The team was scheduled to fly out today morning for Conakry via Bamako and is expected to arrive in the Guinean capital at around 9.05pm local time (6.05pm Kenyan time) today.
On Wednesday, Sports Minister Helen Sambili presented the squad members with cheques of Sh30,000 each as part of the Government's reward for beating Namibia. In total, the government reward was Sh810,000 to the players and the technical bench.
The minister also presented the team with the Kenyan flag and urged them to aim for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
"The Government appreciates your work and is behind you. We promise you something if you win in Guinea," Sambili said at the Stars' training camp at Kasarani.
Kimanzi said it was now a matter of getting his tactics right to clinch top spot and automatic qualification from the group with a draw or win in Conakry.
The coach, however, decried the uncertainty that surrounded their travel dates.
"Originally we thought we were travelling on Friday but it is now Thursday. So the extra day we had planned to train here has been lost," he said.
Harambee Stars squad - Noah Ayuko, Duncan Ochieng, John Njoroge, George Owino, Edgar Ochieng, Lloyd Wahome, Joseph Shikokoti, Mulinge Munandi, Robert Mambo, Kevin Ochieng, Austin Makacha, Osborne Monday, Macdonald Mariga, Jamal Mohammed, Dennis Oliech, Francis Ouma, Allan Wanga, Patrick Oboya.
Guinea squad - Goalkeepers: Naby Yattara (Sete, France), Youssouf Toure (Fello Star Labe).Defenders: Dianbobo Balde (Celtic, Scotland), Aboubacar Camara (AS Kaloum), Alseny Camara (Chateauroux, France), Ibrahima Camara (Le Mans, France), Morlaye Cisse (US Armennienne, France), Alimou Diallo (Sivasspor, Turkey), Ibrahima Diallo (Charleroi, Belgium), Daouda Jabi (Trabzonspor, Turkey), Mamadi Kaba (AS Kaloum), Oumar Kalabane (Manisaspor, Turkey), Kamil Zayatte (Hull City, England). Midfielders: Mamadou Bah (Racing Strasbourg, France), Algassimou Balde (Cannes, France), Jean Habib Balde (Reims, France), Ibrahima Bangoura (Troyes, France), Aboubacar Mbaye Camara (Lokeren, Belgium), Minka Yadi Camara (Le Mans, France), Kevin Constant (Chateauroux, France), Fode Mansare (Toulouse, France), Mohamed Sacko (Etoile Sahel, Tunisia). Strikers: Pascal Feindouno (Al Saad, Qatar), Alassane Keita (Mallorca, Spain), Ismael Bangoura (Dynamo Kiev, Ukraine), Larsen Toure (Grenoble, France).
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