Harambee Stars: Big Changes in June Friendlies Squad as Ryan Ogam, Job Ochieng Drop Out as Kelly Madada Returns

Kenya's national football team, the Harambee Stars, will now face Lesotho in a two-legged friendly series in South Africa during the upcoming June international window, following logistical challenges that forced a change in the original schedule.

Initially, Kenya was slated to play against Palestine and Kyrgyzstan. However, these matches have been cancelled.

Instead, the team will travel to Pretoria to take on Lesotho as part of their ongoing preparations for future continental competitions.

Both matches against Lesotho are scheduled to be held at the Lucas Moripe Stadium. The first encounter is set for Thursday, June 4, 2026, with the second match taking place on Sunday, June 7, 2026. Both games will kick off at 4:00 PM EAT.

Harambee Stars were initially scheduled to play Kyrgyzstan on June 3 and Palestine on June 6.

The adjustments also affect the player roster. Goalkeeper Byrne Omondi, along with striker Ryan Ogam and winger Job Ochieng, will not be part of the travelling squad.

They have been replaced by Amos Nondi, Kelly Madada, and Brian Bwire, who have been called up to reinforce the team.

Kelly Madada's inclusion is particularly notable following his impressive run of form in the just-concluded FKF Premier League season.

The AFC Leopards attacking midfielder made his senior Harambee Stars debut during the Mapinduzi Cup in January 2025, coming off the bench to inject fresh energy into the midfield during the tournament matches in Zanzibar.

However, during his last call-up in March 2025 for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, he did not get any playing time on the pitch.

The Harambee Stars are expected to report to camp on Monday, June 1, for an afternoon training session before their departure to South Africa on Tuesday.

The technical staff will use these fixtures to further assess the squad ahead of upcoming official assignments.

Meanwhile, in a previous interview with The Star, Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy vowed to avoid experimentation as he looks forward to forming a solid squad for AFCON 2027.

"I am no longer going to experiment when it comes to player call-ups and squad selection," Benni McCarthy stated firmly.

"We have seen before where experiments led to an 8-0 defeat, and nobody wanted to take responsibility for it. One thing I can promise is that we will not suffer an 8-0 loss like the one against Senegal."