Moment of reckoning for Harambee Stars skipper Wanyama

Harambee Stars have another date with destiny Wednesday afternoon when they face Ethiopia in the third round of qualifiers for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon).

The match will be staged at the 60,000-seater Bahir Dar stadium in Bahir Dar starting 4pm, and will have a huge bearing on whether the senior national team will qualify for the continental showpiece.

A full squad of 22 local and foreign-based players converged in the northern town of Bahir Dar Tuesday morning, including Tottenham Hotspurs midfielder Victor Wanyama who missed last month’s 1-0 home win against Ghana.

Michael Olunga, who was credited with the own goal that sunk Ghana last month in Nairobi, was also part of the squad, as was defender Brian Mandela who is back after serving a one-match suspension and is expected to be a direct swap for Gor Mahia’s Joash Onyango who was red carded against Ghana.

Wanyama has attained full fitness, and is likely to wear the arm band as he seeks to lead the team to its first Afcon qualification since 2004.

The 26-year-old is sure to start in Kenya’s defensive midfield position, and reckons that the boys are ready for the Ethiopian challenge despite having had limited training time.

“We haven’t had much time together, but we have had two training sessions and we are ready. This team won in my absence against Ghana which is a big team and I am proud of them. It shows that we have good depth in the squad so I am not very worried at all,” he said.

Stars are in Group F alongside Ethiopia, Ghana and Siera Leone, and they are scheduled to face the Walya Antelopes again in Nairobi this Sunday in the return match.

To secure one of the two tickets to the 2019 Afcon, Kenya requires at least seven points in the four remaining group games, and beating Ethiopia home and away will place them in good stead of reaching that target.

Stars are placed 42 places above Ethiopia in the latest Fifa world rankings, but they suffered a 2-0 loss the last time the two teams met.

This was during the qualifiers for the 2016 African Nations Championship (Chan) played at the same Bahir Dar stadium where Kenya fell courtesy of goals from Gatoch Panom and Asechalew Girma.

Panom, who plies his trade in Egyptian side El Ghouna, is a sure starter in the Ethiopian squad that is coached by countryman Abraham Mebratu, and will play a leading role alongside star striker Getaneh Kebede.

Overall, the two nations have faced off 42 times with Ethiopia winning 18, Kenya 14 while 10 have ended in a stalemate.

Meanwhile, the match involving fellow Group F members Ghana and Sierra Leone is still in limbo even as the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) await response on their petition to Fifa to lift their ban.

The SLFA was banned by world football governing body Fifa on Friday from all activities due to government interference.

Squad

Goalkeepers:

Patrick Matasi (Tusker, Kenya), Farouk Shikalo (Bandari, Kenya)

Defenders:

Philemon Otieno (Gor Mahia, Kenya), Jockins Atudo (Posta Rangers, Kenya), Musa Mohammed (Nkana FC, Zambia), Brian Mandela (Maritzburg FC, South Africa), Abud Omar (Cercle Brugge, Belgium), David Ochieng (IF Brommapojkarna, Sweden), Erick Ouma (Vasalund, Sweden), Joseph Okumu (Real Monarchs, USA)

Midfielders:

Dennis Odhiambo (Sofapaka, Kenya), Francis Kahata (Gor Mahia, Kenya), Ismael Gonzales (Las Palmas, Spain), Victor Wanyama (Tottenham Hotspurs, England), Anthony Akumu (Zesco, Zambia), Johanna Omollo (Cercle Brugge, Belgium), Paul Were (FC Kaisar, Kazakhstan)

Forwards:

Piston Mutamba (Sofapaka, Kenya), Michael Olunga (Kashiwa Reysol, Japan), Eric Johanna (IF Brommapojkarna, Sweden), Ovella Ochieng (Vasalund, Sweden)

Ethiopia squad

Goalkeepers: Samson Assefa (Dire Dawa City), Tekelemariam Shanko (Hawassa City), Tsion Merede (ArbaMinch City)

Defenders: Abdulkerim Mohammed, Asechalew Tamene, Henok Adugna, Salahdin Bargicho (Saint George), Anteneh Tesfaye (Dire Dawa City), Mujib Kassim, Amsalu Tilahun (Fasil Kenema), Ahmed Reshid, Temesgen Castro (Ethiopian Coffee)

Midfielders: Mulualem Mesfin, Natnael Zeleke, Behailu Assefa (Saint George), Gatoch Panom (El Gouna/Egypt), Shemeles Bekele (Petrojet/Egypt), Biniyam Belay (Skenderbu Korce/Albania), Amanuel Yohannes (Ethiopian Coffee), Canaan Markneh (Adama City), Shemekit Gugesa (Fasil Kenema)

Forwards: Getaneh Kebede, Abel Yalew (Saint George), Omod Okuri (Smouha SC/Egypt), Dawa Hotessa (Adama City), Addis Gidey (Sidama Coffee)