/ 19 April 2000

LAST CHANCE FOR KENYAN COACH

KENYAN national football coach Christian Chukwu has perhaps his last chance to prove his worth when he leads his team against Malawi in a 2002 World Cup qualifier on Saturday. But with the absence through injury of the country’s veteran striker Mike Okoth, the Nigerian-born coach has his work cut out. Since taking over in October 1998, the luckless former Nigerian captain has yet to win a game with the Kenyan side. After the 2-0 loss in the first-leg in Blantyre two weeks ago Chukwu has recalled the Belgium-based Okoth and former captain Musa Otieno for the return leg. Okoth made a one-match return for his Belgian club Genk at the weekend and was expected in Nairobi on Wednesday, but he informed the Kenyan officials that he aggravated his injured knee during the league match. Chukwu is faced with the dilemma of making his selection from the same squad that held Uganda to a 2-2 draw in a friendly in Kampala last Sunday.