Harambee Stars head coach Engin Firat has shed light on the absence of defender Daniel Anyembe from the national team squad set to face Russia in an international friendly on Monday, October 16.
Anyembe was conspicuously missing from the roster, raising questions among fans and pundits alike.
The 25-year-old right-back had been making waves with standout performances in recent matches, notably helping Kenya secure a memorable 2-1 victory over Qatar and putting up a solid effort in a narrow 1-0 loss to South Sudan.
Daniel Anyembe, who boasts a unique heritage as the offspring of a Kenyan father and a Danish mother, had made three appearances for the national team, debuting as a second-half substitute in a friendly against Iran.
Firat addressed the issue, revealing that Anyembe’s absence was due to a logistical challenge. The player’s release from his Danish Superliga club, Viborg, had not been secured in time for the Kenya’s travel to Antalya, Turkey.
“We wanted to have Anyembe in camp, but his club was reluctant to release him. We have communicated to them officially, and we hope that we’ll have him here in time for the match on Monday,” coach Firat stated.
Firat emphasised that the door to the national team remained open, and they were actively exploring options to strengthen the squad for the upcoming qualifiers in November.
The friendly against Russia serves as the final test match for Harambee Stars before the highly anticipated 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, set to kick off in November.
Kenya is placed in Group F, where they will compete against Seychelles, Burundi, Gambia, Gabon, and Côte d’Ivoire.
The first leg of these crucial qualifiers is scheduled to be played from November 13 to November 21, 2023.
