Kenya’s McDonald Mariga To Miss Tunisian Showdown Due To Injury

Kenya’s dependable attacking midfielder McDonald Mariga will miss Harambee Stars' crucial away encounter against Tunisia on Sunday after sustaining injury during a Serie A game away to Sampdoria at the weekend.

In his absence, in-form Sweden based midfielder Patrick Osiako has earned a surprise call-up, after being missing from the national team since 2006.

The 22-year-old holding midfielder plays for Sweden’s Superettan side Mjallby Solvesborg. Osiako has been the mainstay for Mjallby, having led the team to promotion to the country's highest league the Allsvenskan with five games to go to the close of the season.

Osiako last featured for Harambee Stars in 2006 in a game Kenya lost 3-1 away to Angola during the run up to the 2008 African Cup of Nations.

With the Tunisia call up, Osiako will now be seeking only his sixth cap with the national team. Mariga, who has been instrumental in the Stars campaign from the early stages of the qualifiers, tore his thigh muscle on Sunday in Parma's 1-1 draw away to Sampdoria in Serie A.

"It is unfortunate that we would play the final two qualifiers without Mariga, who has been ruled out for at least one month by Parma’s team doctors. He has been outstanding for the team all along, but I hope the remaining lot can do the required job," the Stars team manager Edward Oduor was quoted as saying in The Standard.

James Momanyi, Goal.com