Joash Onyango: Bring on Mo Salah

Harambee Stars defender Joash Onyango believes Kenya have enough ammunition to deal with the threat posed by Egypt's Liverpool's talisman Mohamed Salah during their 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) clash on Thursday.

The must-win clash for Harambee Stars will take place at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani in Nairobi from 7pm.

As expected, the Pharaohs of Egypt arrived in the country on Tuesday night with their three stars who ply their trade in the English Premier League - Salah, Mohamed Elneny (Arsenal), Mohmud Trezeguet (Aston Villa) - in tow.

They have been booked at Villa Rosa Kempinski in Nairobi and are expected to have a feel of the match's venue Wednesday from 7pm.

Salah, who inspired Liverpool to their first EPL title in three decades last season, is set to test the resolve of the Kenyan defence which has shipped in four goals in as many qualifiers.

Onyango reckons that he has a huge responsibility of the English Premier League's top scorer on check. Salah leads the EPL scorer’s chart with 17 goals.

"Salah is a big name, he is doing well at Liverpool. For me, it will be a good opportunity to gauge myself against him and know where I rank. It will be a tough match but you should expect good results from us," said the Simba SC defender.

He noted that he is not under pressure, because he knows a thing or two about some of Egypt's players, having played against them at club level.

With Joseph Okumu and Brian Mandela out of Thrusday's match, Harambee Stars coach Jacob “Ghost” Mulee will most likely partner Onyango with Johnstone Omurwa in the central defence.

Omurwa, who turns out for Wazito in the Football Kenya Premier League, is the only player who started for Harambee Stars in the two friendly matches against South Sudan and Tanzania in Nairobi, where Kenya won 1-0 and 2-1 respectively last week.

“It (missing Mandela and Okumu) is likely to affect us because they are experienced and are leaders on the pitch. But I believe the coach has talked to the person who will play. I will also encourage him, give him the morale so that we put up a good performance,” said Onyango.

While coach Mulee admitted that Okumu’s injury is a big blow to the team, he exuded confidence that the players who are available will do the job.

“We have a top defender in Central and East Africa. I think Joash has proven that he is a force to reckon with. He is going to pair up with one of the young defenders in the team. It is kind of a new central defence for us,” he said.

Harambee Stars’ chances of making a successive return to the continental showpiece are minimal since they sit third in Group G with three points, five behind leaders Egypt and Comoros.

To qualify, Kenya must beat Egypt and Togo away in Lome on Monday, and hope that either the Pharaohs or Comoros lose all their remaining matches.

Kenya, under Francis Kimanzi, battled to a 1-1 draw with Egypt in their opening match of the qualifiers away.