Private jet for Stars
Webster Nyandika and Agencies
There will be no time to rest for national football team Harambee Stars after their 2021 Africa Cup of Nations Group G qualifier against Comoros at Kasarani last night as the Jacob ‘Ghost’ Mulee charges seek to win the away fixture against the giant killers in Moroni on Sunday afternoon.
Stars are expected to do some light training this afternoon, to fill the holes and strategise for the return fixture before they fly out tomorrow afternoon in a private jet.
According to the team’s communication department, the team will be trying new formations and options ahead of Sunday’s crucial fixture, that would determine their fate in the group that also has former continental champions Egypt and Togo.
“The team will go through light training tomorrow afternoon, before we leave for Comoros on Friday afternoon on board a chartered flight,” said a senior Football Kenya Federation (FKF) official.
He added: “While in Comoros, Stars players will be able to feel the pitch on Saturday afternoon, before the main day. We are going for nothing short of a win.”
Meanwhile, with the third and fourth matches of the qualifying for the delayed 2021 Africa Cup of Nations being played over this week.
As with all sport around the world at the moment the way the matches are held will be affected by the global coronavirus pandemic.
The Nations Cup finals have already been delayed by a year and will now take place in 2022 in Cameroon.
In normal circumstances clubs around the globe are required by Fifa regulations to release their players for national team duty even if that person is injured.
In the past clubs and national associations have come to agreements over the availability of specific players for certain matches.
However if there is no such resolution players can end up being banned from playing for their clubs in some of the games after the international break.
Concerns caused by the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic is leading to some clubs being reluctant to allow their players to travel.
The Gambia coach Tom Saintfiet has complained that Polish side Gornik Zabrze have said that Alasana Manneh will not be allowed to join up with the Scorpions.
BBC Sport Africa contacted the club for a comment on the reasons Manneh was not being released but did not receive a reply.
There was better news for Saintfiet from Italian club AS Roma, who initially refused to release reserve-team player Ebrima Darboe but on Friday confirmed they would respect his wishes to join up with The Gambia for the back-to-back games against Gabon.
