Masoud Juma: Harambee Stars Coach Benni McCarthy Confirms Striker Status for CHAN 2024
- Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy has confirmed some timely positive news ahead of CHAN 2024
- Kenya risked heading into the tournament without a proven striker following the departures of Moses Shummah and Emmanuel Osoro
- Harambee Stars have already resumed training after arriving back in the country following their botched CECAFA Four Nations Cup
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Harambee Stars has received a major boost after head coach Benni McCarthy provided Masoud Juma's update.
Source: UGC
The Kenya men's national team will kick off their African Nations Championships (CHAN) campaign in 10 days with a clash against DR Congo.
McCarthy and his players have been holed up in camp as they step up preparations for their debut in the continental competition.
Who will be Harambee Stars' striker at CHAN 2024?
There have, however, been concerns about who will lead the line for Kenya when the tournament starts.
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McCarthy had initially called up the top two scorers of the just-concluded FKF Premier League season - Kakamega Homeboyz's Moses Shummah and Talanta FC's Emmanuel Osoro.
However, he was hit with a significant setback after both players were signed by Zambian side Power Dynamos.
Why isn't Michael Olunga playing at CHAN?
This move effectively knocked them out of selection as CHAN is a tournament reserved solely for locally based players. It explains why Michael Olunga, Eric Ouma, Joseph Ouma and other heavy-hitters haven't been included.
"The African Nations Championship is open to the national representative teams of the associations affiliated to CAF, composed exclusively of national players playing in the national championship," reads Article 2 of CHAN regulations.
However, despite the setback, McCarthy has gotten reprieve as Masoud Juma has been clear to take part in the tournament.
Benni McCarthy confirms Masoud Juma will play at CHAN 2024
Juma was initially on the excluded list as he played outside of the country. His inclusion in the training group was therefore a surprise, something McCarthy has now clarified.
"He communicated to us that he was back in Kenya and he had signed with either a second or third division team, and if I wanted to include him in the squad, I could."
The South African international waxed lyrical about Juma's qualities, given that he had worked with him before. He hinted that the striker could make his final squad.
"I know the qualities for Juma because I am the one who signed him for Cape Town City. I know when you have that type of quality and you don't include them, you will not be a smart coach."
Source: Getty Images
Who is Masoud Juma?
Juma is a 1996-born striker who rose to national prominence for his performances in 2017 when Kenya won the CECAFA Cup. He had won the Golden Boot in the Kenyan league that season.
He has played for Bandari FC, Sony Sugar and Kariobangi Sharks in the local league before moving to McCarthy's Cape Town City in 2018.
He joined Emirati-based side Dibba Fujairah before later moving to Al Nasr. Juma has also played for Algerian giants JS Kabylie, Moroccan side Difaâ El Jadida and Saudi Arabian teams Al-Faisaly and Al-Jabalain.
Before returning to Kenya, the 29-year-old was at Iranian side Esteghlal FC.
Masoud Juma's stats
Of all the clubs he has turned out for, the former Sharks player enjoyed his most prolific spell at Difaa El Jadida, scoring 17 times and assisting four others in 59 appearances.
Apart from the CECAFA Cup he won with Harambee Stars, he also has an Iranian Cup he won while at Esteghal.
Why Harambee Stars withdrew from CECAFA Four Nations
In a separate report, Harambee Stars dramatically withdrew from a CECAFA tournament a few hours before their first game.
The team was already in Tanzania, ready to take on the hosts in the pre-CHAN tournament, but withdrew citing prevailing conditions.
Kenya were supposed to play Tanzania, Uganda and Senegal.
Proofreading by Jackson Otukho, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
