“They wanted to break my players’ legs” – McCarthy slams Burundi’s ‘anti-football’ tactics
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Reading Time: 2min | Fri. 10.10.25. | 07:37
Kenya won 1-0 courtesy of Ryan Ogam’s well-taken second-half goal, but it was a bruising encounter for McCarthy’s men, who struggled to find rhythm on the artificial turf at Intwari Stadium
Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy has hit out at Burundi for what he described as a “brutal” and overly physical game that nearly left his players in ruins during their 2026 World Cup qualifier in Bujumbura on Thursday.
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Kenya won 1-0 courtesy of Ryan Ogam’s well-taken second-half goal, but it was a bruising encounter for McCarthy’s men, who struggled to find rhythm on the artificial turf at Intwari Stadium.
Burundi employed a rough approach, with hard tackles flying in from the Swallows throughout the contest. Goalkeeper Brian Bwire was among the casualties after suffering a horror injury early in the match.
McCarthy lamented that Burundi’s tactics, coupled with poor pitch conditions, disrupted Kenya’s play and questioned why the hosts were allowed to “get away with so much.”
“Burundi were very physical; they got away with a lot of things,” McCarthy fumed after the match. “In better conditions, on a proper surface, I doubt my players would have been as physical as they were because that was not real football.
I know both teams wanted to win, but to play like that, trying to break players’ legs, is unacceptable. I didn’t come to Burundi to experience this kind of football. They are a good team with good players, but fair play must be part of the game.”
𝗕𝗘𝗡𝗡𝗜 𝗪𝗜𝗡𝗦, 𝗖𝗔𝗘𝗟𝗕 𝗦𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗢𝗙𝗙 ‼️
— iDiski Times (@iDiskiTimes) October 9, 2025
Benni McCarthy's Kenya secured back-to-back wins in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers after beating Burundi 1-0. The Harambee Stars moved into third spot in Group F.
Former Kaizer Chiefs striker Caleb Bimenyimana was sent off after… pic.twitter.com/IE5i2JmPa3
Despite the heavy-handed tactics, McCarthy praised his side for standing firm and grinding out a hard-fought win.
“I’m super proud of my players for the performance they gave in almost impossible conditions,” said the South African coach.
“We showed character and determination. We respect our hosts, but we did not receive any respect in return. That, for me, was not football, so justice was served.”
The victory lifted Kenya to third in Group F with 12 points from nine matches.
While the Harambee Stars are already out of the running for a World Cup berth, the result offers encouragement ahead of their final qualifier against Ivory Coast on Tuesday next week.
