Kenya coach Benni McCarthy calls up five new faces for friendly matches

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/kenya/CIAJw1QK/"]Harambee Stars[/a] will face [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/kenya-CIAJw1QK/palestine-raIKZdDJ/?mid=hjMnxaXb"]Palestine on June 6th[/a] after taking on [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/kenya-CIAJw1QK/kyrgyzstan-pMXTD85a/?mid=bTQuMns1"]hosts Kyrgyzstan on June 3rd[/a] in what will serve as important build-up matches for the team ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.[/p][p]The South African legend has called up winger [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/henia-kamau-sammy/Ovc6eBLr/"]Sammy Henia-Kamau[/a], who turns out for Hull City, and defender [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sydney-agina/ttL8kqA0/"]Sydney Agina[/a] (Stoke City).[/p][p]For Agina, he featured for Stoke City in the EFL Championship, managing five appearances. The 17-year-old signed his maiden professional contract with the Potters in the summer of 2025 and was afforded the chance to train with the first team.[/p][p]Agina spent the 2025/26 pre-season with Stoke City first-team and went out to their training camp in Spain. He made his Championship debut on March 10th against Ipswich Town, coming on as a substitute in the 70th minute in a 3-3 draw.[/p][h2]Obiero scored 14 goals for Wealdstone [/h2][p]Other new faces include defender [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/woodman-deonysus/l4DJwL9s/"]Deonysus Woodman[/a] (Wealdstone FC), forward [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/obiero-micah/v76sdib3/"]Micah Obiero[/a] (also Wealdstone), and goalkeeper [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kramer-caleb/d8RKAAYE/"]Caleb Kramer[/a] (ADO Den Haag).[/p][p]Obiero was born in Redbridge, London. He is the son of the Kenyan former footballer Henry Obiero. His brother, Zech, is also a professional footballer.[/p][p]Obiero, who managed 14 goals for Wealdstone in the National League this season, made his senior debut for Huddersfield back in 2020 on the last day of the 2019/20 season, coming on at half-time in a 4-1 Championship defeat to Millwall.[/p][embed guid="3aac8685-f7f2-4d7c-a273-956e3a5e2793" url="https://x.com/Kiinya_Y/status/2056463822559281381" social-type="twitter" /][p]His first goal for Wealdstone was a consolation in a 6-1 defeat to Notts County. Having ended the 2022/23 season as the club’s top scorer with eight league goals. Obiero signed a two-year contract extension in August 2023. He signed a further one-year contract in July 2025.[/p][h2]Eric Ouma returns from injury[/h2][p]Defender [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/marcelo/6VaGdIY6/"]Erick Ouma Otieno[/a] of Ekstraklasa club Rakow Czestochowa has been recalled to the squad after missing Kenya’s last matches during the FIFA Series owing to an injury.[/p][p]Kenya will be returning to action after the FIFA Series in Rwanda, where they finished third after defeating Grenada 3-0 in their final match.[/p][p]Harambee Stars’ journey in the Series saw them narrowly miss out on a place in the final following a penalty shootout defeat to Estonia. The match had ended 1-1 in regulation time, forcing a direct penalty shootout, where Estonia edged out Kenya 5-4.[/p][p]The two upcoming friendly matches are expected to offer the technical bench another opportunity to assess the squad and continue building cohesion ahead of a busy competitive schedule.[/p][p][b]This will be the first time Kenya play [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/kyrgyzstan/pMXTD85a/"]Kyrgyzstan[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/palestine/raIKZdDJ/"]Palestine[/a] in the history of international football.[/b][/p][h2]Kenya's full squad:[/h2][p][b]Goalkeepers[/b]: Byrne Omondi, Faruk Shikhalo, Caleb Kramer[/p][p][b]Defenders[/b]: Erick Ouma, Stanley Wilson, Sylvester Owino, Frank Odhiambo, Alphonce Omija, Deon Woodman, Rooney Onyango, Sydney Agina[/p][p][b]Midfielders[/b]: Richard Odada, Chris Erambo, Clarke Odour, Will Lenkupae, Austine Odhiambo, Zech Obiero[/p][p][b]Strikers[/b]: Job Ochieng, Mohammed Bajaber, Ben Stanley, Sammy Hena-Kamau, Micah Obiero, Ryan Ogam, Lawrence Okoth[/p][image alt="Dennis Mabuka" id="009ee08a-c012-41bf-bdae-acba9770ea19" credit-line="Flashcore" guid="598169e0-feae-4102-824f-1cc85f1caff3" original-width="1200" original-height="381" /]