Harambee Stars under new coach Benni McCarthy went into the matchday six Group F fixture seeking victory following their dramatic 3-3 comeback draw against Gambia at Alassane Ouattara Ebimpe Olympic Stadium on Thursday, March 20th while the Scorpions were basking in a resounding 3-0 victory against bottom-placed Seychelles at Stade de Franceville.
Being their first match on home soil since they last played South Sudan in a friendly they lost 1-0 at Kasarani Stadium on September 12th, 2023, Kenyans thronged Nyayo with hopes of a win but it was Gabon talisman Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who grabbed the headlines with a brace.
The former Arsenal captain scored in either half, the second from the penalty spot and despite Kenya’s efforts to find their way back after striker Michael Olunga had reduced the deficit, the Panthers held on to register their fifth win of the qualification campaign and stayed on course to earn the qualification berth.
Kenya put up solid and improved team performance
According to Atieno, who represented Kenya in the qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup 2010 and the African Cup of Nations (AFCON), Harambee Stars shouldn't be ashamed of the defeat because they were playing against a top quality opponent, who are ranked way above them in FIFA rankings.
“To be honest, the players have every reason to be proud. It was a solid team performance and a huge improvement on past performances,” Atieno told Flashscore. “There’s no shame in losing to a better side (Gabon highest FIFA ranking 30 and current 84) - especially when there’s so much to learn from playing against top-quality opponents.
“When I look at the level of talent that Kenya produces and the results we achieved (against Gambia and Gabon), especially considering the limited investment in our football infrastructure, it’s clear we’ve consistently overachieved.”
Atieno continued: “With greater investment in our football infrastructure as a nation, we can nurture even more talent and reach new heights. The potential is huge. Well done to the players and the new coaching team. Losing is the beginning not the end. Preparation starts now.”
Another former international Boniface Ambani was of the opinion that despite the defeat dashing Kenya’s hopes of qualifying for their first-ever World Cup, all was not lost because the team put up a good show.
“Kenyans showed the world we love football. That was massive. Nyayo was full to the rafters. The attendance showed how we had been starved on the international arena. Guys from all walks of life flocked into Nyayo as early as 10am,” explained Ambani, who plays for several clubs in the Kenyan Premier League including Tusker FC and Harambee Stars.
“Unfortunately we lost the match, former Mikel Arteta hitman Aubameyang, with a brace dashing our World Cup hopes, but all is not lost. It’s now time to actually focus on a team that will represent us in CHAN. This gives our local-based players a chance to prove their mettle in the remaining matches. They need that exposure as early as now.”
Kenya alongside Uganda and Tanzania will co-host the 2024 Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) tournament which was earlier scheduled from February 1st to 28th, 2025 but in January, it was postponed to August 2025 in the same three East African countries.
This will be the first edition to be hosted by three countries. Kenya are drawn in Group A alongside Morocco, Angola, DR Congo and Zambia.
Kenya did everything but luck was not on their side
Meanwhile, former Harambee Stars striker Elijah Onsika believes had Kenya converted the chances they created against Gabon, they should have comfortably won the game but luck was not on their side.
“What do I really say? It was one of the best games I have ever watched Kenya play after a very long time,” Onsika told Flashscore. “We took control of the game from the onset, you could see the hunger in the players to give fans something to cheer about.
“We had quality at the back, and the attacking was lovely to watch, but our main undoing was to put the ball in the net, remember that Olunga free header? That was a goal to be honest and had it gone in, it could have been 1-1 and game on, but the chance went inches out.
“I don’t want to forget Olunga’s powerful effort which hit the post and rolled back to play, how many chances did Kenya create, and how many chances did Gabon create? Kenya had more chances than Gabon but scoring was the problem, I believe that luck was not on the Kenya side, they should have won the game by a huge margin had they converted their chances.”
Onsika further preserved praise for overlapping defender Eric ‘Marcelo’ Ouma, who created Olunga’s goal and was subbed off in the 86th minute for Manzur Okwaro, who was making his first start for Harambee Stars.
“That left-back was Kenya’s best player, he did everything to win us the game, his breathtaking runs were too much for the Gabon defenders to handle, and he signed off with an assist, which was an outstanding display,” offered Onsika, who played for Kenya in the late 80s and 90s.
“If I was coach Benni McCarthy, then I couldn’t have subbed him, because if you check keenly, the moment he was withdrawn, we started to struggle taking the balls to the forwards, lacked creativity from the wings, and gave Gabon breathing space, his runs had tired those Gabon defenders, I am sure they (Gabon defenders), were happy to see him subbed off.”
McCarthy not giving up yet on qualification hopes
Speaking after the game, the 47-year-old South African coach, who signed a contract to handle Harambee Stars until 2027 AFCON, remained adamant that Kenya could still qualify from the group with four matches remaining to conclude the African qualifiers.
“We have to continue winning our matches, maybe you never know, maybe mathematically, somewhere around, there might be some glamour of hope that we can still qualify,” a defiant McCarthy told Flashscore.
“You know when people take out calculators, maybe when we play Ivory Coast (in the last game), maybe we can still find ourselves in that situation, if we win the matches left, but I think for now, we have to start preparing for the CHAN to come, and AFCON 2027, here in Kenya, I am happy with what I am seeing and excited and I know people want to see the team win.
“But people also need to understand that when it is a new team, and you are trying to rope in young players, you can’t just do away with the regular players just in one day, you have to try and work with them, and see how good you can make them and then they will help the young players to take the reins forward, for now it is a process and we will work on it, but we still have hope for the World Cup (laughs).”
The defeat left Kenya fourth in the group with six points, nine fewer than leaders Gabon, who have garnered 15, and seven less than second-placed Ivory Coast, who have amassed 13 points, but will face Gambia in their matchday six fixture at Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny on Monday.
What next for Harambee Stars in the qualifiers?
Harambee Stars will wait until September 1st, 2025, to host Gambia at Nyayo Stadium. In the first meeting, they drew 3-3. After Gambia, Kenya will host Seychelles at the same venue on September 8th. During the first meeting, Harambee Stars hammered the Islanders 5-0.
They will then travel to face Burundi, whom they drew 1-1 with in the first round meeting, on October 6th, before winding up their group matches against the African champions on October 13th away. Kenya and Ivory Coast drew 0-0 in the reverse fixture.
