Handball: 10 new players make final team for Africa Cup
National Cereal and Produce Board right back Thodosia Sangoro, who is also Nairobi Water women handball team assistant coach during a training session at Uhuru Estate sports ground in Nairobi on July 16, 2020.
What you need to know:
- Kenya has been drawn in a tricky pool "D" that has Tunisia, Angola, and Nigeria. The East Africans will take on Tunisia on January 17, and battle Angola on January 19, before they play Nigeria a day later. The two top teams in each pool will proceed to the quarter-final.
- Defending champions Egypt headline group "B" with Guinea, Cameroon, and Congo, while Morocco, Algeria, Gabon, and Libya form pool "C".
The Kenya men's handball team technical bench has included 10 new players in the final squad for the Africa Senior Cup of Nations in Cairo, Egypt.
Twenty four players have been training at the Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi for two weeks under coach Peter Mwathi and former Kenyan International Brian Mathews. Twelve rookies earned their first national team call ups with only two failing to make the final cut.
The two are Solomon Kibet and Winstone Chekai. The final squad of 16 players is expected to leave for Cairo on Sunday morning ahead of the January 17-27 competition.
While naming the final squad after the evening training session at the Nyayo on Thursday, assistant coach Brian Mathews said the drafting of 10 rookies was a sign that the technical bench was committed to players' growth.
"Most of these players have previously competed in the under 19 and 20 championships before and this is a good transition into senior team. We are keen on watching these players grow from the junior, youth to senior categories.
Unlike before when the technical bench had to pick players from various clubs in the league, the coaches now have the pleasure of watching the players' progression. Of course, we look forward to a good show in Egypt, but this is a team that needs patience and I believe in the future, they will start winning medals," said Mathews.
The 10 players are Equity Bank pair of Prevailer Muhani and Brian Murangiri, General Service Unit's Christopher Mayende as well as National Cereals and Produce Board's Robert Maranga, Morgan Simiyu, Ian Odhiambo, Snox Collins, Julius Chiunda and Brian Wakhuka. Kenya Defence Forces' Kevin Imo also made the final list.
Those who failed to make the cut are Rashid Igwela, Simon Mutuku, Kibet, Victor Otuoma, Chekai, Teddy Sidai, Thodosia Sangoro and Paul Ondara.
Kenya will be returning to the event having last participated in the 2020 edition in Tunisia, finishing in 15th place in the 16-nation competition.
Kenya has been drawn in a tricky pool "D" that has Tunisia, Angola, and Nigeria. The East Africans will take on Tunisia on January 17, and battle Angola on January 19, before they play Nigeria a day later. The two top teams in each pool will proceed to the quarter-final.
Defending champions Egypt headline group "B" with Guinea, Cameroon, and Congo, while Morocco, Algeria, Gabon, and Libya form pool "C".
Cape Verde, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, and Rwanda are in pool "A". The event will act as the Africa qualifying tournament for the 2025 World Men's Handball Championship to be jointly hosted by Denmark, Croatia, and Norway on January 9-27.
The top five nations at the completion of the event will book their places at the World Championship.
