The Kenyan Football Digest

Who will win the 2009 KPL title?

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Dennis Oliech rejoins Qatari club Al-Arabi


The Harambee Stars hit-man has undergone a medical examination and will rejoin the national team training camp in Nairobi.

Dennis Oliech was yesterday given permission from Kenya’s training camp to fly to Qatar for a medical check and formalise his return to Al-Arabi, where he started his professional career.

The striker, who arrived with the national team from Nigeria on Monday evening, has played for Auxerre of France in the last two seasons.

The forward, who honed his talent while turning out for Kenyan club Mathare United, turned professional in 2003 when Al-Arabi came calling.

He had made his international debut for the national team aged only 18 the previous year. He played in Qatar for two years before he signed a four-year contract with French Ligue 1 team Nantes in 2005. But in 2007 the club was relegated and Oliech was given to Auxerre, where he has been since.

The lethal striker made 56 appearances for Auxerre, scoring a measly five goals, but his stint at Al-Arabi was impressive, striking 12 times in 17 games.

Oliech has been a revelation for the Kenyan national team since he received his first call. He has scored 22 goals from 37 international appearances. In the World Cup 2010 campaign, the goal poacher has already converted five times.

James Momanyi, Goal.com

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

FKL: Food for thought

Harambee Stars are tentatively slated to play Ghana’s Black Stars in an international friendly on Tuesday 16th June 2009 in Nairobi. Both sides will use the tie as a build up ahead of their next World Cup/African Nations Cup qualifiers. Kenya host Mozambique while Ghana travel to Khartoum to play Sudan on the weekend of 20th June 2009.

This is indeed a welcome development for the much maligned national football team which always bears the brunt of incompetence from those selfish, greedy dinosaurs mandated with running Kenyan football.
The friendly match against Ghana is welcome, but friendly matches should not end there .The Kenyan side needs to remain competitive; I’m sure the FKL as a member of FIFA has heard of the FIFA allocated dates for international friendlies. They should be proactive enough to keep the Stars competing on these dates.
In case they are not aware, the beauty of the FIFA dates allows teams’ access to all their players, foreign based players too. I say this because this is the correct avenue to experiment on match formations. Let us never again experiment on match formations during make or break clashes. The Tunisia and Nigeria matches come to mind.
They should also ensure that all resources, playing kit included are available to the team. We have a good squad but with shoddy management, qualifying for the African Nations Cup and the World Cup will remain a dream.
The hopes of 40 million Kenyans rest on the shoulders of the Harambee Stars and their handlers. The Stars may have lost their two opening matches but with four more rounds to play and plenty of time before the next fixture, they can redeem themselves. I believe in them, they should believe in themselves too…and the FKL leadership should stop focusing on their bloated egos, stomachs and pockets and support the Stars too.
Over to you FKL! A nation waits with bated breath.

Monday, June 8, 2009

Kenya go down fighting in Nigeria

Nigeria had to overcome stiff resistance to claim a deceptive win over Kenya. The scoreline was not reflective of the Kenyan effort on the day.

Like it was in 1997 and 2003, Nigeria on Sunday at the Abuja National Stadium beat visiting Harambee Stars of Kenya 3-0 to keep the chase on Group Two leaders Tunisia.

Spain-based Ikechukwu Uche opened scoring for the home side after just two minutes. However, it was in the second half that Nigeria enjoyed much respite from a hard working Kenyan side when Inter Milan ace Obinna Nsofor netted from the penalty spot after Osaze Odemwingie Peter won a dubious penalty.

Nsofor hit a brace four minutes later when he thundered home from inside the box. Tunisia stay top of the group with six points from two matches, while Nigeria are two points behind in second place. Both teams clash in Tunis in two weeks time at the Rades Stadium in a match that could well give a good indication of the overall leadership of this group.

First Half

A packed 60,000-capacity Abuja National Stadium, awash with Nigeria's colours of green and white, welcomed a youthful starting XI without high-profile absentees from the Super Eagles recent friendlies - Joseph Yobo, Mikel John Obi and Taye Taiwo.In the heart of the attack, goal hero against Republic of Ireland, Michael Eneramo, is preferred to Joseph Akpala, who grabbed the winner against France in Saint-Etienne.

Kenya also made three changes from the team that started against Tunisia in Nairobi in March - goalkeeper Arnold Origi and midfielders Patrick Oboya and Austin Makacha.It took Nigeria only two minutes to get off to the perfect start when Ikechukwu Uche found the back of the net. The Getafe forward combined with his older brother, Kalu Uche, but it was really a poor clearance by Kenyan defender, George Owino, that allowed Ikechukwu Uche to continue with his run on goal before he coolly drove home past goalkeeper Arnold Origi.

Even after his goal, Uche remained a constant danger to Kenya, while youngster Elderson Echejile grew so much in confidence that he even joined the attack from his left fullback position. Kenya's first attempt at goal came after quarter of an hour when Dennis Oliech let fly from distance but goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama saved easily.

The Harambee Stars steadily began to have a say in proceedings as they began to string passes between themselves. MacDonald Mariga tested Enyeama with a cleanly struck shot on 26 minutes, and a minute later, Oliech came even closer but his shot from the edge of 18-yard box shaved the crossbar.Disjointed play by Nigeria at this point in the encounter.

Oliech again came close in the 34th minute, when he found himself inside the box only to see his shot miss its mark. Moments later, Odemwingie would have doubled Nigeria's lead when he was set up by Ikechukwu Uche, but Origi blocked his powerful shot. The Russia-based striker wasted an even better chance three minutes later when his effort from top of the box missed target by inches. Just before the interval, Kenya's Origi spilled an Ikechukwu cross from the right but Esperance of Tunisia striker Eneramo could not take advantage of this clanger with the ball metres from the goaline.

Second Half

Nigeria make one change by the interval - Nwankwo Kanu in for an annonymous Dickson Etuhu. The Super eagles go into attack immediately after the restart.In the 54th minute, Odemwingie's effort from an acute angle on the left is scrambled awayby Origi for a corner.

But in the 62nd minute, Kenya had two chances in quick succession - Auxerre's Oliech was involved in both occasions, first he preferred to square the ball with the Nigerian defence on the back foot and seconds later, he again decided to pass the ball inside the box after he had rounded up goalkeeper Enyeama. It was a big let-off for Nigeria, who finally got the buffer goal in the 72nd minute when substitute Obinna Nsofor tucked home a penalty.

Goal-bound Osaze fell too easily in the box and Moroccan referee El Achiri Abdellah pointed to the penalty spot. Four minutes Nsofor thundered home from inside the box for Nigeria's third goal. A move started by Kanu saw Echejile thread through a cross from the left, Ikechukwu miskicked to allow Nsofor control the ball before firing home.Nsofor almost completed a hat-trick five minutes from time but his low shot missed target only just.

Nigeria - Vincent Enyeama - Yusuf Mohammed, Dele Adeleye, Sam Sodje (Onyekachi Apam 76), Elderson Echejile, Seyi Olofinjana (Capt), Kalu Uche, Dickson Etuhu (Nwankwo Kanu 45) - Ikechukwu Uche, Michael Eneramo (Obinna Nsofor 54), Osaze Odemwingie
Coach: Shuaibu Amodu

Kenya - Arnold origi - Julius Owino, George Owino, Musa Otieno (Capt), John Njoroge - Austin Makacha, MacDonald Mariga, Robert Mambo Mumba (Allan Wanga 65), Pascal Ochieng, Patrick Oboya (Victor Mugabe 74) - Dennis Oliech (Peter Opiyo 87)
Coach: Antoine Hey

Samm Audu, Goal.com

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Will Stars shine over the Super Egos..Eagles?

By Robin Toskin/Standard Media Group

Harambee Stars’ rhetoric in the 2010 World Cup/Africa Nations Cup comes up for close scrutiny today when they face Super Eagles in a Group Two qualifier at Abuja National Stadium, Nigeria.

After an impressive second round performance in which they claimed passage to the final phase at the expense of Zimbabwe, Kenya believed they have a genuine chance of making it at least to the continental showpiece next year.

But after a troubled start in which they tamely lost 2-1 to Tunisia, doubts abound they would meet their minimum ambition.

Stars’ troubled campaign thus needs an urgent face-lift beginning with the trip to West Africa.

Nigeria also began on the wrong footing, by their high standards, with a goalless away in Mozambique.

And with Mozambique visiting Tunisia, it is unthinkable Nigeria will be in the mood to exchange niceties with Harambee Stars.

It is unlikely the Super Eagles would have time for such Ibo words as "En nwelem oji" (I have got kola-nuts), often said by the host while presenting the nut as a sign of goodwill to visitors.

Nigeria President

Among the Ibo, Oji (Kola-nuts), signifies clean mind and pure intention. But clearly after President Umaru Yar’Adua set up a 12-man committee to prosecute Super Eagle’s battle to South Africa, it is unthinkable their intentions would be clear and pure to favour Stars’ fortunes.

Even if kola were to be offered, it would only be one, not two as the later is reserved for titled men. Are Harambee Stars titled?

In urging Super Eagles to go on and gorge out Harambee Stars eyes for glory, a pot of Sh9.43 million has been put in their nest if they deliver three or more goals.

So, when tomorrow comes it will be Harambee Stars’ big day. And so it would be for Super Eagles’.

If the Eagles would pass around kola as a sign of clean mind and pure intention it is only logical to say it will be the intention to tear apart Harambee Stars.

Their 1-1 draw away to Ireland and 1-0 victory over 1998 World champions, France, has re-energised Shuaibu Amodu’s side after taking stick for their lackluster show against Mozambique.

Super Eagles

That fringe players Michael Eneramo (Esperance, Tunisia) and Joseph Akpala (Club Brugge, Belgium) got the goals for Nigeria would send shivers down the spines of their opponents.

Not for Kenya’s Antoine Hey. Despite having been severely criticised for engaging in federation wars and failing to get his tactics right, Hey said he would make Nigeria pay for their showboating.

Hey said before the team left for Abuja: "I am not cowed by our opponents build-up results. We are focused and we know what we know our targets clearly."

He added: "These are two different teams with different desires. After losing the opening qualifier against Tunisia and given the fact that Kenya has never beaten Nigeria, these boys are baying for Super Eagles’ blood and are hungry for victory."

Behind Hey’s air of confidence, however, lies a genuine threat from a Nigeria side motivated by failure to qualify for Germany 2006.

The Super Eagles paid for complacency when Angola nicked the ticket at the last day of qualifiers, where although they beat Zimbabwe away, Oliveira Goncalves’ side beat Rwanda to top their group.

The same scenario is panning out after Tunisia beat Kenya and Nigeria could only draw away to Mozambique.

The draw invited savage criticism of coach Shuaibu. But after a morale-boosting win over France and a draw against the Republic of Ireland, it could be all systems go for the Eagles against ill-prepared Kenyans.

All the top Eagles are available except for long-term injury, striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni. A win would thus help take the pressure off Shuaibu when he flies the Eagles to Tunisia on June 20.

Joseph Yobo (Everton), Nwankwo Kanu (Portsmouth) John Obi Mikel (Chelsea), Ikechukwu Uche (Getafe), Kalu Uche (Almeria), Seyi Olofinjana (Stoke City) are all available for selection.

Also in the mix are Obafemi Martins (Newcastle), Sani Kaita (Sparta Rotterdam, Holland), Obinna Nsofor (Inter Milan, Italy), Chibuzor Okonkwo, John Utaka (Portsmouth) and Osaze Odemwinge (Locomotiv Moscow).

But while Nigeria are bursting on the seams with quality, any Harambee Stars coach would struggle cobbling together a team capable of pulling the rug under the feet of an average side in the continent.

AJ Auxerre’s Denis Oliech and AC Parma’s MacDonald Mariga are the only genuine quality in the team.

Goalkeeper Arnold Origi has shown a lot of promise but is yet to hit top deck. A cracked kneecap against Zimbabwe on June 14 may have also slowed down the FK Moss (Norway) goalkeeper. FeverPitch, however, understands coach Hey has been in touch with FK Moss tactician, Per Morten Haugen to get first hand information about Origi’s progress.

It will be a huge gamble if coach Hey should start with the 24-year-old against Nigeria who ruled himself out of the Tunisia tie for lack of match fitness.

FK Marrienham (Finland) goalkeeper Willis Ochieng could be thrown into the fray.

Harambee Stars defending was in quandary against the Carthage Eagles and it could be too late for Hey to find genuine quality to fill the void left by Mathare United centre-back, Edgar Ochieng’.

Against Tunisia, Hey started with a five-man midfield largely composed of defenders and an attacking midfielder, Robert Mambo playing in front of the defence.

The tactic backfired as Mambo was caught in possession as Isaam Jomaa raced clear to burry the winner after Oliech had cancelled out Amman Jemal’s opener.

Hey has kept faith with Pascal Ochieng (KCB), Yanga defenders on loan to Tusker— Joseph Shikokoti and John Njoroge, Mulinge Ndeto (Ulinzi Stars), George Owino (Yanga) and veteran captain Musa Otieno (Santos, SA). Gor Mahia’s Julius Awino has rediscovered his form and is likely to play some role against Nigeria.

Oliech as always should lead the line of attack which alongside Allan Wanga with Patrick Oboya, Peter Opiyo and returning midfielder John ‘Mo’ Muiruri likely to be involved. Victor Mugabe was a thorn in the Eagles’ flesh in Harambee Stars 1-0 loss in a friendly in May 29 and showed flashes of brilliance against Tunisia. Hey’s decision to carry him along demonstrates the youngster’s talent.

Related news

Why Hey should pack the midfield against Nigeria

Goal difference could determine third spot in Kenya’s qualifying pool

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