Kenya head coach Engin Firat has confirmed that several key players will be unavailable for Kenya’s opening AFCON 2025 qualifier against Zimbabwe, set to take place on Friday afternoon at the Nelson Mandela Stadium in Kampala, Uganda.
Among the notable absentees is captain Michael Olunga, who suffered an injury while playing for his club Al Duhail in Qatar. Firat also revealed that goalkeeper Ian Otieno of Richards Bay, defender Johnstone Omurwa, midfielder Timothy Ouma of IF Elsfborg , and Germany-based Tobias Knost will miss the crucial encounter.
“We have long-term injuries to the likes of Masoud Juma and Ayub Timbe, who are very important for us,” Firat stated during a press conference on Thursday.
“We have Tobias Knost from Germany, Collins Sichenje from Serbia, Ian Otieno from South Africa, Daniel Anyembe from Denmark, Timothy Ouma in Sweden, and Michael Olunga in Qatar who will all miss, some due to injuries and others because the clubs failed to release them.”
Firat expressed his frustration at the situation, emphasizing the impact of missing key players in crucial positions. “This is a big problem because these are match deciders for us, especially at right back, central defense, and our goal-getter Michael, who will miss.”
Despite the challenges, Firat issued a stern warning to Zimbabwe, who will have a full-strength squad, including the return of their star forward Khama Billiat. The Kenyan coach maintained that his side could still perform well, despite the setbacks.
“It is a problem for us, but it does not mean that it will be a walk in the park for Zimbabwe. If they think it will be easy, I promise them it will not be,” Firat added confidently.
Kenya goes into the clash buoyed by recent victories over Namibia and Zambia. The Stars beat Namibia 3-1 in March during the Malawi Four Nations Tournament, followed by a 2-0 win over Zambia during the COSAFA Cup held in South Africa in June.
While Firat will have to cope without several key figures, he remains hopeful that his team can step up and begin their AFCON 2025 qualification campaign on a positive note. The match kicks off at 4 PM local time, with both teams aiming to secure an early advantage in the group.
