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Fans react to Harambee Stars' goalless draw against Zimbabwe
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Reading Time: 3min | Sat. 07.09.24. | 13:02
Following a poor performance, Kenyans took to social media to express their views after what was the first match in Group J of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers
Kenya men's national football team, Harambee Stars played out to a goalless draw against The Warriors of Zimbabwe on Friday 6 September at the Nelson Mandela Stadium (Namboole) in Kampala, Uganda.
Following a poor performance, Kenyans took to social media to express their views after what was the first match in Group J of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
The match was hosted in Uganda due to the lack of a CAF-approved stadium in the country to host a match of such a magnitude.
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We sampled some of the reactions from the fans after the match who expressed their differing opinions.
Former Kisumu All Starlets Team Manager Beryl Monique who was also a FIFA volunteer in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar said that Harambee Stars technical bench got their tactics wrong.
“We had the best squad today but the gaffers tactically did not know how to turn the system of players to play to our strengths.
Having a false 9 is not bad but we were too rigid and locked to stream in great passes because we were defending.
Seems the gaffers are okay with no conceding but they forgot the sweetness of football is to score goals on the opponent's net,” said Monique.
Popular local fan Mosh Junior believes that the players did not show the will to win which was partly a result of poor tactics.
“I believe the coach made wrong decisions by not fielding a striker, despite having some in his squad.
Our players did not display the determination to win the match. Other than Marcelo, the rest of the team seemed disengaged."
Gor Mahia supporter and CEO of fans’ team Rooftop FC, Dennis Okoth on the other hand did not have kind words for the team.
“We literally did nothing on the pitch. We did not even try to play."
His words were not far from his Swara FC counterpart Alex Ngare who questioned the desire from the players to collect the win.
“We did not show the hunger to win the game today,” said Ngare.
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Ulinzi Stars fan Capo Di Tutti on his part called for the dismissal of Engin Firat.
“We need a Kenyan coach here. It is not rocket science…Kenya’s problems are best solved locally. African problems, African solutions."
On Mozzart Sport senior writer Kevin Teya's Facebook page, fans were not left behind to express their opinions.
“Playing our home game in a foreign land has an impact. Were it Nyayo or Kasarani fans would have done better in pushing the team,” said Erick Chami Barasa.
“Before anything else we need a coach...Firat is becoming more and more clueless,” Eric Xon believed the problem is the coach.
Fredrick Otieno said the result reflected the difference in footballing standards between the two nations
“There is no way we were going to beat Cameroon. The error by Matasi aside, they outclassed us in all aspects of the game. We have to improve our game as a country first before we can beat such teams.”
Kelvin Korir on his part attributed the loss to tactical deficiency for Kenya’s technical bench
“I don't understand how Firat is still the national team coach. He has always produced poor results in important matches and gives endless excuses.Why did he start players out of position? The defense was so weak and he got his tactics wrong. Time to look for a serious coach,” he said.
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