NAIROBI, March 15– Benni McCarthy announced his inaugural squad for the Kenyan senior men’s football team since taking charge of the East African nation last week. McCarthy, a former UEFA Champions League winner with FC Porto, will lead the Harambee Stars as they prepare for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Gabon and Gambia later this month. The former Manchester United first-team attack coach has included promising talents Kelly Madada and Andreas Odhiambo in his provisional squad of 50 players, released on Tuesday. Australian-based midfielder William Lenkupae has also earned his first call-up. “Wednesday will be my first camp with local-based players to assess the quality for the upcoming CHAN and identify potential additions for the World Cup qualifiers against Gambia and Gabon,” McCarthy said. The national team is set to face Gambia on March 20 at the neutral venue of Stade Alassane Ouattara in Cote d’Ivoire. This away fixture will be a crucial test for the squad as they aim to secure valuable points on the road. Following the match against Gambia, the team will return home to face Gabon at Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi, Kenya’s capital, on March 23. McCarthy, 47, was unveiled as the Stars’ head coach on March 3 after signing a two-year deal to manage the team. The “Bafana Bafana” legend has previously coached AmaZulu FC and Cape Town City in his native South Africa, guiding the former to the group stages of the CAF Champions League for the first time in their history. McCarthy is joined in the Stars’ management team by familiar faces, including Vasili Manousakis as assistant coach, retired South African goalkeeper Moeneeb Josephs as goalkeepers coach, and Pilela Maposa as performance analyst.
Xinhua proud partner of the African Youth Newspaper
