NAIROBI, Aug. 19 -- Kenya's senior football team head coach, Stanley Okumbi, has brought back George Odhiambo to the squad that will play Mozambique in a FIFA International friendly on Sept. 2.
Odhiambo alias Blackery, nicknamed after one of the most popular smart phone of the past decade that is no longer in production owing to his silky skills has shown the riveting form that made him crowned Kenya's Player of the Year in 2010.
Still 25, Odhiambo exploded to the scene as a teenager, winning the hearts of local fans when his wing play helped his club and Kenyan giants Gor Mahia FC finish second in the domestic top flight.
He secured a move to Danish side Randers FC in 2011 where he endured a disastrous spell, playing only twice as he fell out of favour with the club management.
Then a staple of the national team known as Harambee Stars, Odhiambo was capped for the last time by his former coach at Gor, Zedekiah Otieno over six years ago but Okumbi has been impressed with his performance this season to hand him a recall.
He returned to Gor in 2017 after spells at Kuopino (2017/Finland), Azam FC (2013/Tanzania), Shirak (2013), Ulisses (2013) and Nairobi City Stars (2017).
The winger has scored twice in the last three Gor games and set the winner in the other as he enjoys a renaissance under new English boss at his club, Dylan Kerr.
Stars will travel to Maputo for the encounter hoping to atone for their 1-2 defeat to Sierra Leone in their opening 2019 AFCON qualifier in June.
Okumbi, whose 11-match unbeaten run at the helm was halted by Sierra Leone, has kept faith in a chunk of the select league side that recently toured Spain.
Boniface Muchiri and Jackson Macharia were the biggest beneficiaries after being included in his team to face the Mozambique O Mambas (The Crocodiles).
Striker Kepha Aswani and Omar Mbongi are also among those earning recalls with the latter set to provide more options for Okumbi at left back where he has been in fine form for his club side Ulinzi Stars FC.
Ulinzi teammate Daniel Waweru has also received the nod from Okumbi who is looking to use this friendly match to prepare for the 2018 Africa Home Nations Championships that Kenya will host in January.
The surprise inclusions are Mathare United FC's youngster Chris Ochieng' and second-tier National Super League side Wazito FC's Joe Waithera who will contest for a spot in the final squad.
体坛英语资讯:World champion Xu Jiayu takes 3rd backstroke gold in Jakarta Asiad
体坛英语资讯:Chinese paddlers kick off Asiad campaign with three straight group victories
娱乐英语资讯:Music concert to be held in Imperial Ancestral Temple
国际英语资讯:Yemens govt delegation to withdraw from Geneva talks if Houthis remain absent
体坛英语资讯:China pockets 17 Asiad golds on Aug. 23
朝鲜称计划于2021年初实现无核化
国际英语资讯:Kremlin denies Russias involvement in ex-spys poisoning
国内英语资讯:China, Pakistan vow to push forward all-weather strategic cooperative partnership to new hig
体坛英语资讯:Kenya 15s rugby eyes more friendly matches for exposure, qualify for World Cup
这些迹象表明你正在悄悄长胖
国际英语资讯:One in three Californians gets low-wage jobs: study
体坛英语资讯:China continue to take charge at Asian Games
国内英语资讯:Beijing sees renewable energy growth
国际英语资讯:Chinese state councilor meets Pakistan army chief on CPEC, regional issues
国内英语资讯:Economic Watch: Without central SOEs, Tibets anti-poverty battle would be harder
国际英语资讯:Merkel invites Macedonian citizens to participate in name referendum
Grow Up 成长
英语阅读:如何利用早晨才不浪费时间
国际英语资讯:Mozambican civil society organizes music festival to promote voting for elections
体坛英语资讯:Chinese mens basketball team beat Kazakhstan 83-66, advancing to top 8 at Asiad
体坛英语资讯:China twin sisters Jiang fight for third duet title in Asiad artistic swimming
体坛英语资讯:China lose to Iran 3-0 at Asiad mens volleyball
国际英语资讯:U.S. stocks post weekly loss amid tech sell-off, trade fears
国内英语资讯:China, Pakistan vow to boost CPEC construction, promote bilateral ties
这些方法会帮助你找到真爱
体坛英语资讯:Valverde wins Vuelta stage 2, Kwiatkovski goes into overall lead
国内英语资讯:China Focus: Tourism booming at Worlds Third Pole
体坛英语资讯:Asensio hopes for more first team action this season at Real Madrid
体坛英语资讯:Chinese womens basketball team sweep host Indonesia at Asiad, to meet Japan in semifinals
最杰出的老师告诉你:鉴别良师的11条法则