This archive report was first published on 6 November 2019.
Published on November 6, 2019, by David Kwalimwa.
As Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president Nick Mwendwa struggles to facilitate Harambee Stars' preparations and travel to Egypt for their 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, the Pharaohs face a different challenge: choosing a captain for the match.
The seven-time African champions will host Francis Kimanzi's Stars in Cairo on November 14, but Egypt's coach Hossam El-Badry has publicly backed Ahmed Fathi as team captain, citing his age as the reason.
However, media reports suggest that Fathi was asked to relinquish the captaincy to Liverpool's Mohamed Salah, which he refused. Fathi's agent, Ader Shawky, stated that his client was left surprised by the request and turned it down, adding that Fathi may not continue with the national team if the captaincy is taken away from him.
Salah, who emerged top-scorer in the English Premier League last season, is expected to pose a significant threat to Kenya's defense, led by Joash 'Berlin Wall' Onyango and goalkeeper Patrick Matasi.
The four-team group includes Togo and Comoros, with only two teams expected to qualify. Kenya will host Togo in Nairobi in their next game on November 18.
