Injury rules Mieno out of Uganda friendly

Tusker midfielder Humphrey Mieno has been dropped from the Harambee Stars camp alongside five other players, ahead of two international friendlies against Uganda and DR Congo.

Kenya face neighbours Uganda today at 3pm at the Kenyatta Stadium, Machakos in match that will be aired live on Bamba Sports. Mieno was sidelined due to an ankle injury he sustained in training and will miss the two ties alongside teenage AFC Leopards’ striker Vincent Oburu, Jeremiah Wanjala (Kakamega Homeboyz), defender Maurice Ojwang (Western Stima) and Thika United’s Sammy Meja, who were dropped after failing to impress .

Coach Stanley Okumbi, who took his boys through their last training session yesterday, was boosted by the arrival of Captain Victor Wanayama and David Cheche Ochieng of MLS side, New York Cosmos. The withdrawal of Eric Marcelo, Ayub Timbe and Eric Johana, who asked to be left out leaves Okumbi with eight foreig-based players in camp alongside 21 local stars. Among the foreigners are Winger Paul Were,striker Michael Olunga, defender Aboud Omar, midfielder Johanna Omolo and Zambia-based trio of David Owino, Jesse Were and Antony Teddy Akumu.

Okumbi said he will use today’s match to try different formations, and also give new faces play time. “We are not after any ranking but to build a strong team of both local and foreign-based players,” said Okumbi. Stars, who are currently ranked 88th in the world standings, last played to a barren draw with their neighbours, Uganda who are ranked 72nd away in Kampala in another friendly in August last year. Their last meeting with DR Congo in October last year saw Stars beat their hosts 1-0 in a friendly in Lubumbashi. Stars will face DRC Congo at the same venue on Sunday, as they prepare for the African Cup of Nations qualifiers, where they start away to Sierra Leone on June 13 in Group ‘F’ that also has Ethiopia and Ghana.