Stars On Display

Nairobi Star (Nairobi)

Francis Wadegu

25 June 2011

Homeboys favoured to win the fight against Sudan’s Nile Crocodiles

Kenya’s Harambee Stars will be odds on favourites to beat Sudan in today’s LG Africa Cup trophy match at the Nyayo National Stadium.

The Stars with marquee European overseas players like Dennis Oliech, the captain who plays for the Burgundians of AJ Auxerre in France and Inter Milan’s McDonald Mariga should prove too much for Sudan.

However, the visitors will be no pushovers as they have proved in the African Cup of Nations qualifiers where they are joint top of their group. “Obviously the presence of Oliech and Mariga will improve the team but they will not play on their own so its important that all the 11 players give their best and help the team to win” said Stars coach Zedekiah “Zico” Otieno.

Mariga linked up with the team on Thursday afternoon having come from a long and hard Italian Serie “A” season. Fans will be hoping the midfielder still has a reservoir of energy to deliver a win for Stars.”The national team is our pride and I feel it is a responsibility to play whenever called upon. It is good to feel we are all here supporting each other whenever we are at home. As much as we are on holiday and could be lacking sufficient match fitness, Dennis, Oboya and myself are here to add morale and experience to the home based players,” Mariga said.

The presence of Oliech and Mariga will add gloss to the LG Cup after initial fears the Europe based players would not be available having been excluded from the preliminary squad named earlier by Zico. Sudan arrived in the country on Monday and were involved in some charity work on Thursday. They visited Kwetu Children’s Home together with LG officials to share some time with the less privileged kids.

Today though their will be no room fro sentiment between the two teams who are using the match as part of their preparations fro the final round of matches on the road to Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.

Meanwhile the national under 23 team face Uganda tomorrow in an All Africa Games qualifier first leg tie. Coach Leonard Saleh was confident his charges could get a good win that will put them in a good position to qualify for their first All African Games since losing in the 1987 final to Egypt in Nairobi.

AllAfrica – All the Time