Italy-based Kenyan striker MacDonald Mariga and fellow forward Allan Wanga jet in Monday to start preparations for Sunday’s FIFA 2010 World Cup & African Cup of Nations finals qualifier against Mozambique in Nairobi.
Mariga plays for Italian side Parma, while Wanga plays his trade in Angola where he plays for Petro Atletico.
The only foreign-based professional currently in the country is striker Taiwo Atieno who plays for U.S. second division side Rochester Rhinos.
He arrived last weekend. Mariga and Wanga are among the foreign-based Kenyan professionals who will link up with the provisional national team, currently training in Nairobi.
Kenya takes on Mozambique in the Group Two qualifier return match in Maputo on Sunday. Other professionals, led by South Africa-based defender and team captain, Musa Otieno are expected to arrive on Tuesday. Team manager Edward Oduor confirmed the new development, saying he expects a full house at the camp by Tuesday evening.
The professionals expected to fly in on Tuesday are goalkeeper Willis Ochieng (IFK Mariehamn Finland), Robert Mambo (GIF Sundsvall, Sweden), John Njoroge, (Yanga Tanzania), Patrick Oboya (Siad Moss Czech Republic) and Austin Makacha (ISK Sirius, Sweden) and Victor Mugabe (Germinal Beerschot, Belgium). Dropped from the provisional squad are Sweden-based players — goalkeeper Arnold Origi, and attacking midfielder John Muiruri — both are nursing injuries. Other players called up are Hillary Echessa (Vietnam) and JamalMohamed.
The fate of striker, Dennis Oliech, who plays for French side Auxerre, hangs in the balance as he said to be nursing a knee injury. Coach Antony Hey, the German national who took charge of the team in March, has made clear to the professionals that they will have to compete for slots with home-based players.
