Harambee Stars have received a timely boost ahead of their crucial 2025 AFCON qualification double-header against Cameroon, as captain Joseph Okumu is set to resume training with his club Reims this week.Okumu has missed the last two club games due to an abductor injury, raising concerns he might be unavailable for the vital fixtures against the five time African champions , which could determine Kenya’s qualification for next year’s AFCON in Morocco.##NAJAVA_MECA_8370686##The central defender, who captained the team in Michael Olunga’s absence against Zimbabwe and Namibia earlier this month, was pivotal in Kenya’s defensive setup. Kenya currently leads Group J, and Okumu’s potential absence would have been a significant blow as they face the African football powerhouse who are second with four points just like Kenya.Reims head coach Luka Elsner confirmed that Okumu is progressing well and could be fit for their next game against Montpellier before the international break.”Joseph is progressing well, but it’s still tight. We’ll assess him at the start of next week and hope for a possible return against Montpellier,” Elsner said in a pre-match interview ahead of their game against Angers.Elsner had previously stated that Okumu’s recovery was being monitored on a weekly basis and was not sure of when he would be back.”Joseph sustained an abductor injury in training, and we will assess him weekly, but he wasn’t ready for the PSG match,” he said in a previous interview.NSL: Naibois eye Nzoia scalp as 3K host Luanda VillaIn addition to Okumu, Kenya has been bolstered by the return of captain Olunga, who missed the September qualifiers due to injury. Olunga has since returned to form, scoring for his club Al Duhail in Qatar, and is expected to lead the team against the Indomitable Lions.Other players who missed the September fixtures but are expected to return include Denmark-based Daniel Anyembe, Sweden-based Timothy Noor, Collins Sichenje, who plays in Serbia, and Johnstone Omurwa, now in Saudi Arabia.Shabana coach speaks on Saturday’s last-minute postponement
