For 90 minutes, Kenyans held its collective breath as the Harambee Stars’ final Group A clash against Zambia went down at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.
The entire period the team was on the pitch, it was a national spectacle that kept everyone, from State House to the streets of Nairobi, on edge as all waited for a defining moment.
Inside the stadium, President William Ruto’s frustration was evident at the VVIP launge, he was tense. Rarely seated, he shifted constantly, his body betraying every twist of the game. At one moment, his legs were planted wide apart, hands akimbo, eyes locked on the Stars’ defense as Zambia surged forward.
At another, he leaned on the steel rails almost a meter from his seat, visibly shaken whenever a Zambian striker tested Kenya’s backline. His hands often flew to his head in disbelief, only to break into applause when the Stars pushed into attack.
Follow The Standard
channel
on WhatsApp
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAqRwmt5gHM
Across the VIP stand, ODM leader Raila Odinga seemed equally restless. The match lineup sheet he clutched was quickly forgotten, replaced by a steady gaze on the pitch, waiting with the same nervous anticipation as the rest of the stadium.
Other dignitaries, senators and governors alike, leaned forward on the edge of their seats, as if willing the ball into Zambia’s net with sheer concentration.
On the touchline, the teams head coach Benni McCarthy lived every second of the game. His technical area turned into a stage for frantic gestures, booming instructions, and wild whistles blown through his fingers to get his players’ attention.
He paced, clapped, and barked orders, sometimes sprinting a few steps as though he might jump into the action himself. When the final whistle blew, McCarthy bent low, hands clasped, head bowed a man relieved, perhaps giving thanks to God for a result that kept Kenya top of Group A.
The terraces had their own drama. Comedian Eric Omondi, dressed in a flowing blue gown with white trimmings, led his flamboyant cheering squad. His troupe, clad in white and purple gowns, armed with drums, bells, and flags, transformed the stands into a rolling festival.
From the first whistle, they sang and danced, urging fans to rise above the chilly night air. Omondi himself whipped up chants, charging the crowd to roar louder whenever the Stars pressed forward.
Kilometers away from the stadium, in Nairobi’s CBD at the National Archives along Moi Avenue, the fan zones turned into cloud of tension.
Fans shifted endlessly on plastic seats, which soon doubled up as makeshift flags waved in the air after Kenya’s decisive goal finally broke the deadlock.
This was a replica at Uhuru Park, Jacaranda Stadium in Kayole, Baba Dogo, Luck Summer-Ngomongo, Utalii’s Stima Club and Kibera’s DC Ground, Fan zones that government erected big screens for the fans.
The eruption of joy was thunderous car horns blared, chants filled the air, and the entire city seemed to move in rhythm with the Harambee Stars.
For Kenya, the stakes could not have been higher. A draw or loss would have condemned them to a daunting quarterfinal clash with Tanzania’s Taifa Stars. But victory ensured they topped the group and wrote another stirring chapter in their CHAN journey.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAqRwmt5gHM