For the second game running, 10-man Harambee Stars showed resilience and character after stunning Africa’s top ranked football nation Morocco 1-0 in an entertaining 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) Group A match played at Kasarani Stadium on Sunday.
Crispine Erambo was shown a red card in the first half after Ryan Ogam scored the winning goal in the 42nd minute, a victory that saw Kenya not only stretch their lead at the top of Group A to seven points but also book a place in the quarterfinals.
The win saw Kenya bag its first win over Morocco. The Atlas Lions, who won the CHAN title in 2018 and 2020, have never lost to Kenya in five previous meetings. The most recent clash between the two sides ended in a 3-0 victory for Morocco in an international friendly in 2014.
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The head-to-head record paints a daunting picture: Kenya has suffered three defeats and managed only two draws. Their biggest loss was a 5-1 defeat in a 2005 World Cup qualifier in Rabat.
Harambee Stars began the match on the front foot, getting the first corner after Ben Stanley Omondi’s shot was blocked. However, Stars did not make the most of Boniface Muchiri’s delivery.
Morocco nearly grabbed the lead in the seventh minute when poor clearance and lack of communication between Michael Kibwage and Bryne Omondi saw the ball land on the path of Ait Khalid who slammed it against the post.
Eight minutes later, Sylvester Owino hit the side net after meeting a set piece delivered by Muchiri.
With the game fairly balanced, Morocco made their first change of the match when Ayoub Mouloula went down injured, Youness El Kaabi coming in in the 22nd minute.
After a series of failed attacks from both ends, Anass El Mahraoui tested Omondi in goal with a snap shot 20 yards from goal, a rare attack that the Kenyan shot stopper easily collected.
Ryan Ogam broke the deadlock four minutes from half-time, collected a rebound inside the box before firing in a low shot past a helpless Elmehdi Al Harrar in goal for Morocco.
The thousands of fans celebrating on the stands were however silenced at the stroke of half-time when Crispine Erambo was red-carded after a VAR review.
Center referee Vincent Kabore was invited to the pitch side monitor to review an incident that captured Erambo planting his studs on Mahraoui after a follow through at the edge of the Kenyan penalty box.
In the final half, Edward Omondi was replaced by Alpha Onyango in bid to stabilise the midfield.
Kenya despite being less once again showed character, winning a penalty in the 53rd minute when Muchiri went down inside the box. However, VAR once again came into play, this time overturning the penalty top a free kick outside the box.
Bouchaib Arrassi cleared the resultant free kick by Ogam off the line to force a corner that was cleared by the Moroccan defense.
At the hour mark, Ryan Ogam and Boniface Muchiri paved the way for David Sakwa and Alphonce Omija, respectively as McCarthy engineered his team towards defending their lead with 10-men.
Despite late pressure by Morocco, Kenya held on to win.