Hassan revels in Harambee Stars breakthrough

Jacob Icia in Kampala

Bandari FC attacker Abdallah Hassan has had to be patient to get his Harambee Stars chance and he has taken it with aplomb after it finally arrived.

After several call-ups that never yielded a single cap, Hassan has scored two goals for Stars at the ongoing CECAFA Senior Challenge in the two matches he has featured in so far.

He scored the lone goal that won Kenya their opener against Tanzania on Sunday, before coming off the bench in the second half to score against Sudan in the 2-1 victory on Tuesday.

Citizen Digital caught up with Hassan during Stars’ Thursday training session in Namugongo, Kampala, where he said the engine is now ignited for his national team journey.

“I feel good because I had not made the first team before in the national team, but now I have shown within the two matches that I should be there.

“I feel I’m ready for the national team duty even in the senior team. Come next year’s qualifiers if our coach gives me a chance, I want to do just like I’m doing here in CECAFA,” charged Hassan.

On their chances to retain the title, the winger said the song has not changed from the pledge the coaches gave from the onset.

“We came from Nairobi as the champions, we must go back with the trophy. We want to finish strongly the group stage matches against Zanzibar.

“They will be very determined because they want to qualify for the semis but we are equally hungry of topping the group with a perfect record. Once we dispatch them we can focus on the last two matches,” he underscored.

Reflecting on the lost chance to lift the 2019 CECAFA Club Championship with Bandari in Huye, Rwanda, Hassan says this is a perfect chance to lift his maiden trophy outside the country.

“In Rwanda we didn’t manage to go past the quarter finals. Here (Kampala) we are already in the semis and we can smell the trophy. It is a big chance for me and the rest of the team,” concluded Hassan.