Kenya’s Harambee Stars produced a spirited performance to hold Angola to a 1-1 draw in their African Nations Championship (CHAN) Group A clash at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, on Thursday night — despite playing with 10 men for over 70 minutes.
Head coach Benni McCarthy, visibly drained after the final whistle, could not hide his pride in his players’ determination and fight, describing their display as “incredible” under the circumstances.
Kenya fell behind in the sixth minute when Beni Jetour’s precise cross found an unmarked Jó Paciência, who calmly slotted home from close range for Pedro Gonçalves’ side. The hosts responded swiftly: a VAR review confirmed a foul in the box, and Austin Odhiambo kept his cool to slot in the resulting penalty in the 12th minute.
From then on, the game took a dramatic turn. A first-half red card left McCarthy’s men with a mountain to climb, but the South African tactician felt his side could have claimed more than a point had they kept a full complement.
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“We got punished because we had a player sent off, so we played almost 80 minutes with 10 men. The attitude and mentality of the players were incredible. With 11 players, we could have gotten more,” McCarthy said.
The coach was particularly frustrated by a late counterattack gone wrong, which almost cost Kenya dearly.
“In the last minute, we had a counter. The right pass would’ve ended up in the back of the net. We made the wrong decision, and they went to the other end and scored — luckily, it was ruled offside,” he noted.
VAR played a central role in the contest, awarding Kenya’s penalty and chalking off Angola’s stoppage-time goal. McCarthy admitted he initially missed the foul that led to Odhiambo’s spot kick but praised the officiating team for getting both big calls right.
“On the offside, VAR was 100 per cent spot on. The Angolan player was blocking the defender, which made him goalside. It would have been a huge injustice if that goal had stood,” he said.
With four points from two matches, Kenya sit in a strong position to progress from Group A. They now turn their focus to a decisive final group game against Morocco on Sunday, August 17, at Kasarani.
Despite the physical and mental toll, McCarthy remains upbeat.
“I was exhausted, and I felt for the players. Angola kept the ball very well, and at this level, you can’t afford mistakes. But the boys showed great heart,” he concluded.
Kenya’s CHAN campaign is alive — and with the belief in the camp, the dream of reaching the knockout stage is within reach.