Benni McCarthy Claims First Victory as Kenya Dominates Chad in Morocco

South African football great Benni McCarthy achieved his inaugural victory as head coach of the Kenya national football team, Harambee Stars, with a gritty 2-1 triumph over Chad in an international friendly held at Stade de Marrakech in Morocco on Tuesday.

Kenya opened the scoring in the 18th minute when debutant striker Emmanuel Osoro found the net, and David Sakwa doubled the lead just before half-time in the 45th minute.

Chad managed to pull a goal back in the 60th minute through Ali Mahamat Adam, but it wasn’t sufficient to prevent McCarthy from securing his first win as coach of the Harambee Stars in four matches.

Determined to clinch that elusive win, the former Bafana Bafana star made nine alterations to the starting lineup that played to a goalless stalemate against Chad just days prior. Bandari FC’s goalkeeper Farouk Shikalo took the place of Brian Bwire, and the defensive unit of Siraj Mohammed, Sylvester Owino, Swaleh Pamba, and Lewis Bandi was formed to keep the Chad attack at bay.

In midfield, the tactical pair of Alpha Onyango and Austin Odhiambo were given starting roles, supported by William Lenkupae, who retained his place, along with the adaptable Ben Omondi.

The striking duo of Sakwa and Osoro rounded out the attacking line.

Osoro’s Opener

Kenya began the match energetically, just as they had in their previous encounter. Within the first five minutes, Lenkupae set up Osoro, but the FC Talanta forward mistimed his shot and failed to hit the target.

Continuing their aggressive play, Kenya pressed for the opener, with Osoro and Lenkupae working in tandem to set up Sakwa in the ninth minute. However, Sakwa hesitated, allowing Chad’s goalkeeper Jourdain Mbaynassem to come off his line and avert the danger.

Kenya’s persistence paid off in the 12th minute when Osoro scored on his debut. Omondi spotted him unmarked in Chad’s penalty area and delivered a perfect pass, which Osoro deftly controlled before sliding it past the stranded Mbaynassem.

Chad responded with their first foray into attack as Haroun Tchaouna dribbled past Owino and found Ezechiel N’Douassel, who struck a stunning volley, only to be denied by Shikalo—his initial save of the match.

Five minutes later, Shikalo was again called into action, making two crucial saves to keep the score advantageous for Kenya. After a corner by Ali Mahamat Adam, an unmarked N’Douassel powered in a header, which Shikalo managed to deflect back before recovering to thwart the follow-up effort from Wiliam Damba.

Harambee Stars nearly added a second goal in the 36th minute when William Wilson, a central midfielder for Central Coast Mariners in Australia, weaved through the Chad defenders and found himself one-on-one with Mbaynassem. Instead of lobbing the ball over him, Wilson attempted a shot through the keeper’s legs, but Mbaynassem reacted well to push it out for a corner.

It didn’t take long, however, for Kenya to extend their lead. Osoro turned provider as a move initiated by Austin Odhiambo found him on the left flank. He darted to the corner and delivered a low cross that Sakwa struck cleanly with his right foot into the back of the net, leaving Mbaynassem no chance.

The first half ended with Harambee Stars comfortably leading 2-0.

Chad Narrow the Gap

Upon returning from the break, Chad made two substitutions, with Damba and Tchaouna making way for Youssouf Abdraman and Madoua Tchiva. Similarly, coach McCarthy opted for changes, introducing Beja Nyamawi for goalscorer Sakwa and Brian Musa Katibi for Alpha Onyango.

Chad came back stronger, putting pressure on Kenya and forcing them into their own half early on. They earned a free-kick from the right wing, but Shikalo was alert and dealt with the ball effectively.

Chad reduced the deficit in the 60th minute thanks to a defensive error by Kenya, allowing Ali Mahamat Adam to sneak in from behind and glance a header past Shikalo following a looping pass from Ahmat Youssouf.

Despite Chad’s efforts to level the score, Harambee Stars held firm in defence, with Shikalo pulling off two more critical saves in the final stages, ensuring his team’s well-deserved victory under McCarthy’s management.

This marked Harambee Stars’ first win in their last six matches across all competitions. Their last victory prior to this match was on January 7, 2025, when they earned a 2-0 win against Tanzania in a friendly at Gombani Stadium.

In the lead-up to this encounter, Kenya had needed two second-half goals from Boniface Muchiri and Ryam Ogam to secure success. Kenya’s next assignment will feature another friendly as they previously settled for a 1-1 draw against Burkina Faso at Gombani Stadium.

Shifting focus to the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, Kenya faced Gambia, ending in a thrilling 3-3 draw, followed by a disappointing 2-1 home loss to Gabon. Their last clash with Chad prior to this match had ended in a 0-0 stalemate on June 7.