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Salim Babu named his final 25-man squad for the upcoming U20 AFCON in Egypt, with notable players like Tyron Kariuki & Stanley Wilson dropped.
Rising Stars second assistant coach Godfrey ‘Solo’ Oduor has explained the selection criteria for the final 25-man squad list for Kenya’s upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) U-20 tournament set to take place in Egypt this May.
The Rising Stars booked their ticket to the continental showpiece after a strong run through the CECAFA qualifiers. The list has no changes from what was leaked to the media on Sunday night.
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19:54 - 16.04.2025
Rising Stars Head Coach Salim Babu Confirms Final Squad for U20 AFCON in Egypt
Salim Babu has unveiled Kenya's final U20 AFCON squad as the Rising Stars prepare for a challenging tournament in Egypt.
Kenya has been drawn into a tough Group B, where they will face Morocco, Tunisia and Nigeria.
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Despite a number of promising talents missing out—including Sweden-based midfielder Stanley Wilson, Tyron Kariuki, and Kakamega Homeboyz goalkeeper Ibrahim Wanzala, the latter who featured prominently in the qualifiers—Oduor insists the final decision was grounded in performance and character shown in camp.
“So we sat as a technical bench and have been monitoring the players during the training sessions we've had. We came up with a final list, which is just a proposal from us,” he explained.
“The only thing remaining is for the players to prove that we made the right choices for this upcoming event.”Oduor, who previously served in the technical benches of KCB and Nzoia Sugar, believes the squad has what it takes to not only represent Kenya well, but to go far in the tournament.
“For us, we are confident because they’ve shown us they have the character and the desire to achieve something—not just for themselves, but also to make the country proud,” he stated.
“We expect these boys to showcase what we've seen in training and the friendly matches we've played. They’ve shown us that they have the will to fight, the ambition to do something great for themselves, and also represent the country with pride.”
He added: “We’re not just going there to participate—we’re going to compete, and we’re going to compete for top honors in the tournament.”
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14:50 - 18.04.2025
Boniface Muchiri Inspires Ulinzi Stars to Forces Derby Win as Kenya Police Title Hopes Take a Hit
Ulinzi Stars secured a crucial win over Kenya Police in a tense FKF Premier League clash that may shift the title momentum.
The Rising Stars will leave for a 10-day training camp in Morocco on April 18, where the team is expected to finalize tactical preparations and build squad cohesion ahead of their opener against Nigeria on May 1. They will then face Tunisia on May 4 before wrapping up their group stage fixtures against Morocco on May 7.
SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Kevin Oduor, Wycliford Oduor, Benard Jairo
Defenders: Baron Ochieng, Humphrey Obino, Jackson Imbiakha, Joseph Bate, Manzur Okwaro, Amos Wanjala, Telena Ochieng, Collins Ochieng
Midfielders: Kevin Wangaya, Emilio Brian, Irad Mshindi, Humphrey Aroko, Aldrine Kibet, Kelly Madada, Hassan Beja, Ezekiel Omuri, Elly Owande, William Gitama, Javan Omondi, Andreas Odhiambo
Forwards: Lawrence Ouma, Oliver Machaka, Mark Shaban
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