After a week of vigorous training and preparations in camp, coach Benni McCarthy finally trimmed his list of 48 provisional players and assembled a 25-man squad to face Gambia in his first task in the World Cup Qualifiers away in Abidjan on Thursday 7PM and come back for the return leg on Sunday 4PM at Nyayo Stadium.
Stade de Reims defender Joseph Okumu and his FK Vojvodina counterpart Collins Sichenje have been dropped from the Harambee Stars travelling squad to face Gambia in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
As per the final squad shared by Harambee Stars, a large contingent of players plying trade in the FKF Premier League have been axed out of the travelling team that has now been cut down to 25. The reason for dropping Okumu and Sichenje is however still not yet clear.
The only local-based players elected to travel to Ivory Coast for the Gambia tie on Thursday 20 March include: Farouk Shikhalo, Rooney Onyango, Manzur Okwaro, Ben Stanley Omondi and Mohammed Bajaber.
McCarthy, a former attacking coach at Manchester United, has called up a five-man striking force, which features no FKF Premier League player.
Only Bajaber and Ben Stanley, who has struggled for game time on loan at Gor Mahia, make up the eight-man midfield.
Australian-born midfielder William Lenkupae, who rightly took the headlines when the provisional squad was named, has also not made the team.
The final 25-man squad that has left for Abidjan includes ;
TRAVELLING SQUAD:
Goalkeepers: Ian Otieno, Brian Bwire, Faruk Shikhalo
Defenders: Joseph Okumu (CB), Jonestone Omurwa (CB), Brian Mandela (CB), Collins Sichenje (CB), Daniel Anyembe (RB), Amos Nondi (RB), Erick Ouma (LB), Manzur Okwaro (LB), Ronney Onyango (RB)
Midfielders: Anthony Akumu (CDM), Richard Odada (CDM), Ismael Gonzalez (CDM), Timothy Ouma ( AM), Eric Johana (AM), Duke Abuya (AM), Mohammed Bajaber (AM), Ben Stanley Omondi (AM)
Forwards: Masud Juma, Jonah Ayunga, Elvis Rupia, John Avire, Michael Olunga
