KDRTV News – Nairobi: Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy expressed profound disappointment after his side played out a goalless draw against Chad in an international friendly in Marrakech, Morocco, on Saturday night . Despite dominating the match from start to finish and creating numerous scoring opportunities, Kenya failed to find the back of the net, leaving the South African legend heartbroken.
“When you dominate a match like this, you have to be very disappointed that you didn’t win…didn’t score goals,” McCarthy stated, highlighting his frustration with the team’s lack of clinical finishing . He noted that Chad’s defensive approach, sitting back and defending the middle, should have made it “so easy for us to play,” but patience and intensity were lacking . McCarthy emphasized the need for his players to adapt their mentality to the international level, urging them to be “more clinical and more aggressive in front of goal”.
This result extends McCarthy’s winless streak to three matches since taking charge of the East African nation on March 3, 2023. His tenure began with a thrilling 3-3 draw against Gambia in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier, followed by a 2-1 home loss to Gabon in the same month. The friendly against Chad, a team Kenya was expected to overcome given their superior FIFA ranking, served as crucial preparation for the upcoming Africa Nations Championships (CHAN) .
Kenya is set to co-host the CHAN tournament with Uganda and Tanzania in August.
Key moments in the match saw Harambee Stars’ forwards, including Moses Shumah and William Lenkupae, squander several clear-cut chances. Shumah’s header went wide early on, and Lenkupae had an effort superbly saved by Chad goalkeeper Jourdain Mbaynassem. Despite the introduction of fresh legs like Austine Odhiambo and James Kinyanjui in the second half, the breakthrough remained elusive.
McCarthy conceded that there is “much work to do to improve on their offense”. The two sides are scheduled to meet again on Tuesday at the same venue, offering Harambee Stars a immediate opportunity to rectify their attacking woes and secure McCarthy’s first victory.
The coach remains focused on sharpening his squad for the continental challenge ahead.
Read: https://www.kdrtv.co.ke/sports/kenya-to-host-2024-african-nations-championship-chan/
