Rising Stars Keeper Ibrahim Wanzala Reacts to Shock AFCON U20 Squad Snub

Rising Stars head coach Salim Babu overlooked goalkeeper Ibrahim Wanzala as he named a 35-man provisional squad for the U20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON U20) finals in Egypt.

Instead, Salim Babu named Kevin Oduor, Wycliford Oduor and Benard Jairo to the squad. His ommission has sparked a debate, with Ibrahim Wanzala himself getting surprised at why he was removed from the squad.

Ibrahim Wanzala was very instrumental as Kenya punched their ticket to the continental showpiece, securing their vital 2-1 win over Tanzania in October last year.

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Following his impressive performance, Wanzala was expected to maintain his place in the Kenyan squad.

It was pointed out that Ibrahim Wanzala had a left knee injury that needed surgery, making him miss a lot of games which in turn led to his exclusion from the squad.

The Kakamega Homeboyz goalkeeper expressed his surprise at missing out on the team, revealing that he was ready to represent the country.

However, he did not want to lament about the snub, claiming that he just wants to move on from that and wished the players luck in their quest for success.

"I was ready to represent the country in Egypt. I still do not understand why I was not called up yet I am fit and playing at the club level,” Ibrahim Wanzala said as quoted by Mozzart Sport.

“I however, choose not to complain or become bitter with anyone. I wish the team well in Egypt. It is a strong team that is capable of getting results against the strong teams in Group B.”

Now, Wanzala has shifted focus to making his debut for Harambee Stars in the CHAN finals in August.

“My gratitude goes out to Coach Francis Baraza, who has been encouraging me to aim for bigger things,” he said.

“My teammates have been supportive as well. I will keep on working hard for the sake of my career goals and my club. Hopefully, I will make it to the CHAN team and play.”

Despite the disappointment of missing out on the AFCON U20 squad, Ibrahim Wanzala has chosen to stay positive, shifting his focus to future opportunities with Harambee Stars and continuing to chase his dreams with resilience and determination.