Rising Stars coach Salim Babu has outlined why Aldrine Kibet and Amos Wanjala from Spain, along with Louis Ingavi from the United States, will not participate in the Four Nations tournament. Kenya’s U20 team will miss three key players for the tournament in Malawi, as the Spain-based pair Aldrine Kibet and Amos Wanjala, along with forward Louis Ingavi from the US, will be absent. These players were initially part of Coach Salim Babu’s provisional team, but he has since stated they will not be joining, viewing their absence as an opportunity to explore other talents at his disposal. “They are out, and we have other players we want to give chances to,” Babu commented to the press during a Monday training session. “These three are already well-known, having played in Kisumu (at the 2023 CECAFA U18 tournament), everyone is familiar with their style.” Attacking midfielder Kibet and defender Wanjala are both training at Spain’s Nastic Sports Academy, while striker Ingavi is developing his skills at the Montverde Academy in Florida. Of the trio, Wanjala’s absence was confirmed after his academy in Tarragona required him for important matches, though Kibet and Ingavi were expected to join the squad, enhancing Babu’s team with their talent. “There is a new group coming through, and exposing them will help the team advance. Kenya has a wealth of young talent, and by 2027, we should be in a good position,” Babu added. The team is reinforced by Stanley Wilson, who recently trialed at AIK in Sweden, and James Gachago from St Andrew’s United in Scotland. Babu is confident his team is well-prepared to compete for the title after extensive preparations. “Our goal is to win the two games; it was previously a semi-final and final, but now it’s a round-robin,” Babu explained. “The coaching staff has discussed this with the players, and we’re optimistic because this is essentially the same team from the U18. We’ve spent nearly three weeks in Kisumu and another week in Nairobi, so based on our training, I believe we’re ready.” With the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations on the horizon, which Kenya will co-host with Uganda and Tanzania, there are high hopes for the Rising Stars to form a strong team. Following Zambia U20’s withdrawal from the tournament, the Rising Stars are set to face Zimbabwe on Friday in a now round-robin format event, with host Malawi also participating.
