CHAN2024: McCarthy out to seal quarters berth against Morocco coach, 28 years after first meeting
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Reading Time: 3min | Sat. 09.08.25. | 21:03
While McCarthy insists there are no personal scores to settle, he admits Sunday’s match has extra meaning
Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy is aiming to get one over his Morocco counterpart, Tarik Sektioui, when the two meet this Sunday, 10 August, in a crunch CHAN 2024 Group A tie at Kasarani Stadium.
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The match will see tournament co-hosts Kenya take on the joint-record African Nations Championship (CHAN) champions in the third round of group fixtures.
It will also rekindle a footballing relationship that dates back more than two decades.
McCarthy and Sektioui first crossed paths in 1997 during the African Youth Championship (now the U20 Africa Cup of Nations) in Morocco, which doubled as qualification for the FIFA World Youth Championship.
Sektioui, then a promising winger, helped Morocco edge South Africa 1-0 in the final, earning the Player of the Tournament award.
McCarthy, whose breakthrough season was underway, missed that final due to suspension.
"If I weren’t suspended, we would have been champions," recalled the Stars' gaffer.
"We were the surprise team of the tournament. I was young, had the world at my feet, and proved myself in every match.
But a new rule had just come in: if you take off your shirt when celebrating, you get a yellow card.
I scored crucial goals against Senegal and Zambia in the quarters and semis, emotions took over, and I celebrated by taking my shirt off… twice.
That meant I missed the final, and the coach had to change tactics."
Their paths crossed again in 2006 at FC Porto, where Sektioui arrived from the Netherlands.
"The new coach knew him from Twente and brought him in, but I was already preparing to move to England," McCarthy said.
"We only spent a short time together, but being two African players in Europe, we struck up a good friendship during pre-season."
Now, CHAN 2024 has brought them back on opposite sides.
While McCarthy insists there are no personal scores to settle, he admits Sunday’s match has extra meaning.
"It’s a good history, and on Sunday, the match between Kenya and Morocco will unite us again.
A win for us would seal a place in the knockout stage. Even a point could be decent for both teams, but we’ll go all out for three points."
McCarthy, who led Kenya to his first competitive win at the helm of Harambee Stars last week, expects Morocco to play attacking football, just like their coach did in his playing days.
"He was an adventurous winger, good on the ball, and I know he’ll set his team up the same way. But if we stay disciplined, defend well, and take our chances, we can force them to adjust."
The South African legend, who has already earned praise from Kenyan fans, believes victory would further unite the country.
"We’re going into the match to win and secure our place in the next round. We know the task is not easy, but we believe in ourselves, and we’ll do it for the country."
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