Defenders David ‘Cheche’ Ochieng and Siraj Mohammed and Kenyan Premier League top scorers Francis Kahiro (KCB) and Ryan Ogam (Tusker) and Bandari midfielder Fidel Origa have been called up to the national team Harambee Stars.
Coach Engin Firat called up the trio as Stars prepare to overturn a 2-0 defeat by South Sudan when they face off in the second leg of a 2025 Africa Nations Championships qualifier in Kampala, Uganda, this weekend.
In a post-match interview after the defeat in Juba on Sunday, Firat promised to engage fresh faces for the encounter.
Cheche, who can play at centre-back and as a defensive midfielder, has had a lengthy career with the national team while Kahiro, Ogam and Origa are hoping to make their debuts.
Cheche, who was benched during the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Burundi and Ivory Coast in Malawi in June, replaces his Kenya Police FC teammate, Musa Mohammed.
Mohammed, a veteran of the game, limped off with a groin injury after 35 minutes of their clash with the Bright Stars.
Also called up was Bandari midfielder, Mohamed Beja, but lack of a passport has locked him out of a first national team call-up.
Meanwhile, Firat has dropped Kenya U20 goalkeeper Ibrahim Wanzala, defender Brian Eshihanda (both of Kakamega Homeboyz), Shabana’s Darius Msagha and Ulinzi Stars’ forward Boniface Muchiri.
AFC Leopards forwards Victor Omune and Sydney Lokale have also been dropped.
The Turkish tactician will bank on his new call-ups to restore Kenya’s pride by avoiding a fourth loss on the trot after falling to Cameroon in back-to-back 2027 Afcon qualifiers this month.
Elsewhere, South Sudan head coach Nicolas Dupuis believes their tactics worked well against the fancied Kenyans and is looking forward to another game plan.
“We really had a great game. Everything worked as we had planned. We were sure of beating Kenya having done great homework against them. We’re determined to register another win in our return match,” Dupuis said.
The youngest team in Africa will seek to upset Kenya for the third time having won 1-0 in an international friendly on September 12, 2023.
The winner of the two-legged tie will face either Rwanda or Djibouti in the final qualification round in December.
Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania have already qualified for the
CHAN tournament as co-hosts.