The National soccer team Harambee Stars will travel to Mauritius on Monday for their upcoming four-nation tournament due to unavailability of flights to the Indian Ocean island nation.
The team was initially scheduled to travel today ahead of the tournament set to run from June 11-18.
The four-nation tournament brings together hosts Mauritius, Kenya, Djibouti, and Pakistan. Collins Shichenje, Kenneth Muguna, and Daniel Anyembe are expected to join the rest of the team in Mauritius.
Joseph Okumu and Masoud Juma have been ruled out due to injuries.
Stars head coach Engin Firat sees the absence of these experienced players as an opportunity for others to step up and gain valuable national team experience. He stated, “Losing experienced players does have an impact on the team, but we must move forward and give other players the chance to bring something different to the team.”
Captain Michael Olunga emphasized the significance of the tournament, stating, “The four-nations tournament in Mauritius is a different assignment, and we want to use it as a buildup and preparation for the World Cup and AFCON qualifiers, which will start at the end of the year.”
The captain also echoed the coach’s sentiments, highlighting the opportunity for players to showcase what they are made of.
“It’s a fairly new squad with many fresh faces, and it’s a great opportunity for players who have been performing well, especially in the local scene, to experience international football. We will have a good blend of local and foreign-based players, and hopefully, we will deliver strong performances in the tournament.”
Harambee Stars players have been in camp from Tuesday this week.
The team will play in the four Nations tournament before taking part in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, slated for 13 -21 November.
