Kenya national men’s football team will miss the services of Austine Odhiambo after the Gor Mahia ace reportedly suffered a knee injury during training.

Head coach Engin Firat was hoping to have his full squad available during this window, having struggled last month without several key figures, including captain Michael Olunga.

The latest news from the Stars’ camp means coach Firat will have limited offensive options ahead of the double-header in the 2025 African Cup of Nations Qualifiers against Cameroon on Friday and Monday.

The Kenya Police FC duo of midfielder Kenneth Muguna and left-back Aboud Omar, who have been consistent under coach Firat, have also been sidelined by injuries.

However, the team has been boosted by the arrival of versatile defender Daniel Anyembe, who is making a grand return after missing the last two assignments for Harambee Stars against Zimbabwe and Namibia due to personal reasons.

Anyembe’s availability is crucial for the team, with Firat likely to field his ‘preferred’ backline for the first time since September last year, when Kenya defeated Qatar 2-1 in Doha.

In that electrifying match, Kenya’s defense consisted of Anyembe, Eric Ouma, Johnstone Omurwa, and Joseph Okumu. Since then, Harambee Stars have played 10 matches with different defensive lineups.

Akumu assurance

Midfielder Anthony Teddy Akumu says the players are in top shape ahead of the potential Group J deciding matches against the multiple African champions.

Early team reports from the camp suggest that the coach has already decided on the travelling squad for the monumental matches in Yaoundé and Kampala.

“As usual, our confidence is high, and we are full of morale ahead of these two crucial games against Cameroon, both away and at home. We understand the significance of staying focused to help us achieve our targets as a unit,” Akumu remarked.

Tusker’s David Odoyo, who received his first national team call-up, along with Stars returnees Sydney Lokale (AFC Leopards) and Boniface Muchiri (Tusker), have been dropped.

The team will have its final local training session in Nairobi today before departing for Yaoundé on Thursday morning.