Matasi is scheduled to replace Ulinzi Stars keeper Jactone Odhiambo, who has withdrawn from Harambee Stars squad due to club commitments
EXCLUSIVEBy David Kwalimwa
AFC Leopards custodian Patrick Matasi has been recalled to the national team Harambee Stars squad that is preparing for the African Nations Championships qualifiers.
Kenya - under head coach Henri Michel - are currently in residential training ahead of a two-legged preliminary round face off against Burundi in mid-December.
Matasi is scheduled to replace Ulinzi Stars keeper Jactone Odhiambo, who has withdrawn from the squad due to club commitments. Other goalkeepers in the Chan squad include Jerry Onyango (Gor Mahia) and Ben Roberts Mandela (Western Stima).
The Army side are preparing to participate at the bi-annual World Military championships set to be staged in Ivory Coast.
Two other players from Ulinzi Stars -defender Mulinge Ndetto and Geoffrey Kokoyo - have also withdrawn from the provisional squad owing to similar reasons and no replacements have been made.
"I am elated by this call up. I now need to work very hard to ensure that I retain my place in this team and play against Burundi," Matasi told Goal.com.
If Kenya makes it past this stage they will play Sudan who together with Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania have been exempted from the opening rounds from the Central-East Zone.
The final will involve two teams from North Zone, two from West A Zone, three from West B Zone, three from Central Zone, three from Central East and three from South Zone (including hosts South Africa).
Democratic Republic of Congo won the inaugural Chan tournament, which is played by home-based players in Cote d’ Ivoire in 2009 while Tunisia were the Cup winners of the 2011 competition held in Sudan.
| Name | Club | |
| Goalkeepers: | ||
| Frederic Onyango | Gor Mahia |
|
| Patrick Matasi | AFC Leopards | |
| Ben Robert Mandela | Western Stima | |
| Defenders: | ||
| Eugene Asike | Sofapaka | |
| Simiyu Wafula | AFC Leopards | |
| George Owino | Sofapaka | |
| Chris Wekesa | Gor Mahia | |
| Cliffton Miheso | Thika United | |
| James Situma | Sofapaka | |
| Midfielders: | ||
| Anthony Akumu |
|
|
| Osborne Monday | Sofapaka | |
| Peter Opiyo | Tusker | |
| Charles Okwemba | AFC Leopards | |
| Francis Kahata | Thika United | |
| Forwards: | ||
| Andrew Tololwa | Mathare United | |
| Moses Odhiambo | Gor Mahia | |
| Wesley Kemboi | Western | |
| Arita Moses | Thika United | |
| Francis Ouma | Mathare Utd | |
| Ismail Salim | Sony Sugar | |
| Paul Kiongera | KCB | |
