NAIROBI, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's U-23 men's football team, the Emerging Stars, left for Tashkent on Tuesday ahead of their two-legged friendly against Uzbekistan.

Former national senior side head coach, Francis Kimanzi and John Kamau the ex boss of local top flight team Thika United FC, will be in charge of the squad.

The first match is set to be played on Thursday with the return match set to be played on Sunday in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

“The matches against Uzbekistan will thus be the first in a series of friendlies the team will take part in, in preparation for the Olympic Qualifiers," FKF posted on their website.

Kimanzi famously took Harambee Stars to the final round of qualifying for the joint 2010 World Cup/Nations Cup qualifiers before he was relieved of his duties and the post was handed to German Antoine Hey.

Having led Mathare to their one and only KPL title in 2008, Kimanzi has overseen the resurgence of the Slum Boys who have only lost once in seven games this season and it marks the return of the respected coach to the national fold since he was dismissed from Stars in January 2009.

The KPL will take a break this weekend for the international football window, with action resuming on March 28. Enditem