| Edward Karanja | |
| Fullname: | Edward Karanja |
| Birth Date: | 1974 1, df=yes |
| Height: | 1.76 m |
| Position: | Midfielder |
| Years1: | 1994 |
| Clubs1: | Kawangware Sports Club |
| Years2: | 1995 |
| Clubs2: | A.F.C. Leopards |
| Years3: | 1996 |
| Clubs3: | Tusker F.C. |
| Years4: | 1996 |
| Clubs4: | Fanja SC |
| Years5: | 1997-2002 |
| Clubs5: | Tusker F.C. |
| Years6: | 2003-2005 |
| Clubs6: | World Hope FC |
| Nationalyears1: | 1997-2003 |
| Nationalteam1: | Kenya |
| Nationalcaps1: | 13 |
| Nationalgoals1: | 1 |
| Club-Update: | 19:31, 19 Apr 2022 (UTC) |
| Ntupdate: | 19:31, 19 Apr 2022 (UTC) |
| Manageryears1: | 2011 |
| Managerclubs1: | Kenya U19, Kenya U20, Kenya U23 (assistant) |
| Manageryears2: | 2013 |
| Managerclubs2: | MOSCA (Head Coach) |
| Manageryears3: | 2014 |
| Managerclubs3: | FC Talanta (Head Coach) |
| Manageryears4: | 2016 |
| Managerclubs4: | Banaadir FC (Head Coach) |
| Manageryears5: | 2021- |
| Managerclubs5: | Liberty Professionals (Head Coach) |
Edward Desh Karanja (born 25 Jan 1974) is a retired Kenyan midfielder who turned out for Kenyan Premier League sides Tusker F.C., World Hope FC and Kenya.[1] He turned to coaching after retirement.
Edward was born in Kawangware, Nairobi County, and schooled at the Nduraru Primary before joining Rungiri Secondary School.
Edward started out at Kawangware Sports Club before joining A.F.C. Leopards in 1995. He then moved to Kenya Breweries F.C. in 1996 but before he could settle he was off to Oman where he featured for Fanja SC the same year.
He was back at Tusker F.C. in 1997 and featured for the side for seven years till the year 2003 when he moved to newly formed World Hope FC. He left the club after featuring in a few games following the club's promotion to the Kenyan Premier League in 2004.
Karanja has been to the National team fold as coach at the U19,[2] U20[3] and U23[4] level. He has also coached several teams after his retirement which includes National Youth Talent Academy[5] [6] in 2011, second tier sides MOYAS (MOSCA)[7] [8] [9] and FC Talanta,[10] [11] and lower tier side Boma FC in 2014.[12]
In 2016 he coached Somalia's top tier side Banadir FC.[13] He is the current coach of Kenyan third tier side Liberty Professionals.[14]
Karanja was first capped for Kenya on 21 Apr 1997 by coach Reinhard Fabisch in an international friendly against Iran[15] at Takhti Stadium (Tabriz). His first competitive game was away to DR Congo[16] on 24 Jan 1999 during 2000 African Cup of Nations qualification held at the Stade des Martyrs.
He scored his only international goal in a friendly against Tanzania on 23 March 2003 in a 4-0 win at the Moi International Sports Centre. Karanja was part of the squad that lifted the 2002 Castle Cup[17] at the Uhuru Stadium, Dar es Salaam, and the 2002 CECAFA Cup at the CCM Kirumba Stadium[18] in Mwanza. He earned a total of 13 national caps.
| Kenya | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Apps | Goals | |
| 1997 | 1 | 0 | |
| 1999 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2002 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2003 | 2 | 1 | |
| Total | 13 | 1 | |
(scores and results list Kenya's goal tally first)[1]