No Okumu, Masoud and Muchiri for Uganda, Rwanda ties

Harambee Stars will miss winger Boniface Muchiri, centre-back Joseph Okumu and striker Masud Juma in their final 2022 World Cup qualifiers against Uganda and Rwanda through injuries.

Confirming the development ahead of Uganda tie, Harambee Stars head coach Engin Firat said they have now called up Police FC captain Musa Mohammed and Posta Rangers man David Ochieng to fill up the voids.

"Okumu is injured as well as Muchiri and Masoud who will all be out of the fixtures," confirmed Firat. We called Musa and Ochieng because of their experience so that we can have a blend of experienced players and youths in the team."

According to Firat, Joash Onyango of Simba Sports Club and Brian Mandela of Mamelodi Sundowns are also unavailable.

“We want to see all our players that we have who can play in every position,” he noted, explaining the massive changes in the team he picked for matches against Mali.

Stars lost 5-0 and 1-0 away and at home respectively to Mali, and having drawn Uganda and Rwanda in the opening round of qualifiers, Kenya’s dream to Qatar World Cup is already over.

But Despite being dead rubber fixtures as far as the World Cup is concerned, Firat whose two-month contract expires this month says there is a lot to play for eyes on the future assignments.

"We are building something for the future so we will want to improve from how we played against Mali in the two matches despite being out of the qualifiers."

The former Moldova coach also noted that the federation is keeping an eye on six foreign based Kenyan players who have not played for the country, with an aim of convincing them to play for Stars.

This is after Wilkins Ochieng, who played for Club Brugge, received a call up for the Uganda and Rwanda encounters.

"It is only that time was not on our side but we have a list. We will reach out to them and convince them to come in the future," he said.

Kenya will be away to Uganda on November 11, before finishing their Group E matches with a home tie against Rwanda three days later at Nyayo Stadium.