National football team Harambee Stars have stepped up preparations ahead of next week’s 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Uganda and Rwanda.

Stars settled into camp on Tuesday and had their first training session on Wednesday and Thursday at the Utalii Complex. The group of local based players will be in training this week before the foreign based stars start arriving as from Sunday night.

Head coach Jacob Ghost Mulee took the team through a rigorous opening session on Wednesday to shake up their fitness and get them physically ready while the Thursday and Friday sessions were more tactical.

Meanwhile, midfielder Lawrence Juma who has had a successful first spell with Sofapaka hopes he can replicate the form at the club at the national team level. Juma has scored 14 goals from midfield position for Sofapaka this season.

“I have enjoyed quite a good season with Sofapaka and hopefully I can replicate the same in the national team. It has been a tough and demanding season but as a team and as players we are really focused to ensure we give 100pc to the national team as well,” Juma said.

Harambee Stars before a training session

He added; “We are focused in training and we know the task ahead of us is huge. The World Cup qualifiers are a big deal and for us, it is an opportunity to play at a big stage. I just want to ask the fans to rally behind us because we need them now.

Meanwhile, Tusker FC defender Eugene Asike says he is chuffed at the opportunity to get back into the national team after a successful season with the brewers. Asike has been rock solid for Tusker, leading a defense line that has conceded the second least number of goals this season.

He has played all but one of Tusker’s 33 matches in the league this season.

“It is a good feeling to be back and I feel proud to be here with the boys. The first session was definitely demanding but good. The boys pushed really hard and we are all looking forward to being part of the game,” said Asike.

He added; “Personally I will keep working hard in camp and hopefully I can get the chance to represent my country. I will need to stay focused, do the basics right and remain positive. I am looking forward to learn from my teammates and the technical bench.”

Harambee Stars in training

Stars will play a friendly match with Premier League champions Tusker FC on Saturday at Kasarani. Harambee Stars boss Mulee will use the opportunity to spruce up and select his top cream of local based players while for Matano, this will be a chance to gel in his new team with several new signings arriving at the club.

Stars will play against Uganda on Thursday, September 2, before travelling to Kigali for the second match of the World Cup qualifiers against the Amavubi of Rwanda.

Meanwhile, opponents Uganda arrived in Ethiopia on Friday for a four-day camp before travelling to Nairobi for Thursday’s match. The team had its first session on Friday evening at the Bahir Dar Stadium in Northern Ethiopia.

Coach Milutin Sredojevic was boosted with the arrival of five new players into camp; Waisswa Moses, Taddeo Lwanga , Aucho Khalid, goalkeeper Isima Watenga and left back Joseph Ochaya. They all trained with the rest of the 20 players who traveled from Uganda.

The Cranes will face off with hosts Ethiopia in a friendly match on Sunday, a game that the returning Micho will use to gauge his players ahead of the Kenya game.