Will McCarthy be fourth-time lucky in Harambee Stars' second clash against Chad?
Reading Time: 2min | Tue. 10.06.25. | 09:44
The two sides met on Saturday, in the first of the two friendly encounters, where Kenya was forced to settle for a goalless draw against the lower-ranked side
Kenya's national men’s team, Harambee Stars, will once again take to the pitch this evening to face Chad in an international friendly match at Marrakech Stadium in Morocco.
The match is scheduled to kick off at 6 PM.
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The two sides met on Saturday, in the first of the two friendly encounters, where Kenya was forced to settle for a goalless draw against the lower-ranked side.
Stars created better scoring chances, while Chad enjoyed more possession.
Kenya is currently ranked 111th in the latest FIFA rankings, while Chad sits much lower at 177th.
Despite Chad's underdog status, head coach Benni McCarthy believes these matches are vital preparations for the upcoming CHAN tournament in August.
A significant portion of the squad comprises local-based players.
In the first match, Kenya’s performance was largely uninspiring, particularly in the attacking third.
The lack of a cutting edge proved costly, with McCarthy expressing displeasure later on.
“When you dominate a match like this, you have to be very disappointed not to win or score. It was easy for us to play because they sat deep and defended the middle of the park. We just weren’t patient enough. The biggest disappointment for me is that we didn’t score,” said McCarthy, who will be in charge of his fourth game since his appointment in March.
He further stated that the match exposed the team’s scoring deficiencies and emphasized the need for more assertiveness and intensity up front.
“I think the biggest learning point for us is to be more clinical and aggressive in front of the goal. We need to play with greater intensity. At times, especially after they went down a player, many of our players still played as if they were in the Kenyan Premier League. This is international football; you have to maintain intensity,” he said.
“You have to move the ball quickly and create chances. I think we just didn’t do that enough. It cost us, and that’s why we ended up drawing a match we should have won comfortably.”
Harambee Stars squad in Morocco
Goalkeepers: Brian Bwire, Faruk Shikalo, Sepstianos Wekesa
Defenders: Brian Mandela, Alphonce Omija, Sylvester Owino, Siraj Mohammed, Abud Omar, Daniel Sakari, Swaleh Pamba, Lewis Bandi
Midfielders: Brian Musa, Alpha Onyango, Austine Odhiambo, Ben Stanley Omondi, Boniface Muchiri, Mohammed Bajaber, William Lenkupae, Adam Wilson, James Kinyanjui, David Sakwa
Forwards: Beja Nyamawi, Moses Shumah, Emmanuel Osoro
