Emerging Stars coach Francis Kimanzi has on Sunday, November 4, 2018, taken charge of the second of a two-day selection exercise aimed at assessing 57 players earmarked for inclusion in the national U23 football team.

Overseen by Harambee Stars coach Sébastien Migné, the selection exercise is in preparation for the first round of the upcoming Africa U23 Cup of Nations Qualifiers, where Kenya is set to face Mauritius.

“We are here to select the U23 team to face Mauritius in the U23 AFCON Qualifiers,” said coach Kimanzi.

“It was quite challenging because we had quality players in each and every position, but alongside my Technical Bench as well as the Senior National Team Coach (Sébastien Migné) and his assistant (Nicolas Borriquet-Cor) we have come up with 18 players who will hit camp next week,” he added.

The initial 57-man squad was trimmed to 18 players, who are set to take part in a two-day open session on Tuesday, November 6, and Wednesday, November 7, 2018, before hitting residential camp on Friday, November 9, 2018, in Nairobi, ahead of the first leg.

Four foreign based players are also expected to link up with the team when they hit camp.

Kenya will start off at home on November 14, 2018, at the MISC Kasarani before jetting out to Mauritius for the reverse tie set to be played on November 18, 2018.

The winner of the tie on aggregate will proceed to the second round, with a third round also in line. The final tourney, set to be played in November 2019, in Egypt, will act as a qualifier to the 2020 Olympics.

Final Squad

Goalkeepers

Timothy Odhiambo (Ulinzi Stars), Brian Bwire (Kariobangi Sharks)

Defenders

Mike Kibwage (KCB), Lennox Ogutu (Mathare United), Johnstone Omurwa (Mathare United), David Owino (Mathare United), Harun Mwale (Ulinzi Stars), Yussuf Mainge (AFC Leopards)

Midfielders

Teddy Osok (Sofapaka), Tobias Otieno (Sony Sugar), Ibrahim Shambi (Ulinzi Stars), Abdallah Ahmed (Mathare United), Chrispinus Onyango (KCB), James Mazembe (Kariobangi Sharks)

Forwards

Boniface Mukhekhe (Nakumatt), Piston Mutamba (Sofapaka), Sydney Lokale (Kariobangi Sharks), Jaffari Owiti (AFC Leopards)

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