Harambee Stars face a test of nerves and skills when they take on their old adversaries Uganda Cranes in a friendly match at Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani Sunday.

The match will bring together two among four East African teams that participated in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations and given the rigors of the biannual championships in Egypt, a pulsating ‘Migingo Derby’ is in the offing.

However, it is Stars who will be under pressure to chalk up a win considering that they will miss eight key players who featured in the Africa’s biggest football showcase two months ago.

Stars, under the tutelage of head coach Francis Kimanzi, will be hoping to bulldoze Cranes without skipper Victor Wanyama, Joseph Okumu, David ‘Calabar’ Owino, Philemon Otieno, Ismael Gonzalez, Dennis Odhiambo, Ovellah Ochieng and Masoud Juma all who are unavailable.

In contrast, Cranes has almost all the players who featured in AFCON where they reached the knock-out stage, save for goalkeeper Jamal Salim, Isaac Muleme, Derrick Nsibambi and Ronald Mukiibi.

Bevis Mugabi is the other notable absentee from the Afcon squad as well as clubless Allan Kateregga, who is no newcomer in Kenya having featured for AFC Leopards two seasons ago.

The squad has a couple of new names including Vipers new signing Fahad Bayo and Kyetume FC goalkeeper Joel Mutakubwa while KCCA’s Allan Okello gets a chance on the big team as well.

Other dependable players include Joseph Ochaya of Democratic Republic of Congo’s TP Mazembe and goalkeeper Robert Odongkara who turns out for Horoya of Guinea.

Despite the glaring disparity in the two teams’ set-up, Harambee Stars stand-in captain Micheal Olunga is unfazed and had declared that he is ready to lead the home team by example.

“We are at home and common sense dictates that each one of us should give 100 percent in terms of performance. It may be a friendly but we know the importance of it and we shall strive to win to make Kenyans happy,” said Olunga.

Sweden-based Eric “Marcelo” Ochieng was equally optimistic, saying every one of them is itching to taste the derby and prove a point.

“Of course, I don’t expect an easy match since Cranes are strong but I have this belief that we can beat them hands down. I’m particularly impressed by the morale in the team which is good going into such a fixture,” said Ouma.

Stars’ other set-back is the unavailability of Zambia-based  Jesse Were, who is nursing a harm-string injury, though Kimanzi has several options to fill the void including Nicholas Kipkirui and Enosh Ochieng .

And given his vast experience, Patrick Matasi should be preferred as the glove-man and to shield him from Cranes attack are the likes of Johnston Omurwa, Brian Otieno, , Hillary Wandera and David Owino (no relation to Calabar).

The match is geared at giving Stars exposure ahead of the AFCON 2021 qualifiers in which the team is pooled with Egypt, Comoros and Togo.-CHARLES THUKU