- Harambee Stars played to a 0-0 draw with Chad in a friendly match held at the Stade de Marrakech in Morocco.
- Head coach Benni McCarthy expressed frustration, noting that despite dominating the game, the team failed to capitalize on their chances and secure a win.
- Harambee Stars now shift their focus to the second friendly against Chad, scheduled for Tuesday, June 10, at the same venue.
Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy has expressed his disappointment following the team’s lackluster performance in their international friendly against Chad on Saturday evening.
McCarthy, who has yet to secure a victory with the national team since his appointment, watched as Kenya settled for a goalless draw against 177th-ranked Chad in a match held at the Stade de Marrakech in Morocco.
Despite dominating possession and dictating the tempo for much of the match, Kenya failed to find the back of the net an outcome that left the South African tactician frustrated.
He acknowledged, however, that the squad is still developing cohesion and familiarity.
It was our first match together, the first for some of these players playing alongside each other. So you could see there were a few things that need to be worked on, and we need to understand each other better.
I think when you dominate a match like this, you’re obviously disappointed not to win or even score goals because it was very easy for us to play,” McCarthy told FKF Media after the match.
Lack of patience and finishing costed Harambee Stars
He further noted that Chad’s defensive approach posed challenges but blamed his own team’s lack of patience and clinical edge, rather than officiating, for the result.
They sat very deep and defended in the middle of the pitch. We weren’t patient enough. For me, the biggest disappointment is the fact that we didn’t score goals, even though we had so many opportunities.
I don’t want to directly say that the referee didn’t give us a penalty, I think the game was already so far in our favor. It would be unfair to blame the referee because we were clearly dominant, and if you don’t take your chances in a game you’ve controlled, then it’s on you,” he explained
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McCarthy calls for more intensity and aggression
The former Manchester United first-team coach emphasized the need for more aggression and intensity from his players, particularly in the attacking third.
We did not lose the match, but for me, when you do not win a game like this, it’s very frustrating. I think the learning curve for us is to be more clinical, a bit more aggressive in front of goal, and to play with more intensity.
When they went a player down, some of our players acted like we were playing in the Kenyan league. This is international level- you need to keep the intensity high, be quick, and maintain the pace,” McCarthy reiterated.
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Harambee Stars will now shift their focus to the second friendly match against Chad, scheduled for Tuesday, June 10, at the same venue.
The upcoming fixture will mark McCarthy’s fourth match in charge, as he continues the search for his first victory with the national team.
The team is intensifying preparations ahead of the Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024, set to take place in August.
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