- Ryan Ogam scored the match-winning goal in the first half of the Kenya vs Morocco game played at the Kasarani Stadium.
- Harambee Stars head coach made a lot of changes in the epic match against Morocco.
- Byrne Omondi was named the man of the match in the clash.
In a soccer spectacle that will go down in Kenya’s history, 10-man Harambee Stars hammered two-time CHAN champions Morocco 1-0 in a scintillating match played at Kasarani Stadium on Sunday, August 10, 2025. The goal came courtesy of Tusker goal poacher Ryan Ogam in the closing stages of the first half.
Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy made numerous changes from the team that started against Angola last Thursday.
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He rested team captain Abud Omar and the mercurial Austine Odhiambo and gave other players a chance to prove themselves.
The South African head coach started with an attacking lineup that had Ryan Ogam, Boniface Muchiri and Edward Omondi.
However, it was the Atlas Lions who began the the match on a high pace, causing the Kenya national men’s football team constant problems.
The Tarik Sektioui-coached side could have opened the scoring within just five minutes but the goal post saved the co-hosts.
As the proceedings went on, Harambee Stars players started to get into the game, fighting for every loose ball and controlling the midfield.
ALSO READ: Harambee Stars ace Austin Odhiambo shares Ksh 1M CHAN bonus, leaves parents overjoyed
The Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) forward Muchiri and his Tusker FC counterpart Ogam made some lovely runs but the Moroccan backline did not give them any room to penetrate.
Ogam opens the scoring for Harambee Stars
Nonetheless, the hard work from the Harambee Stars players eventually paid off in the 42nd minute when Ogam received the ball inside Morocco’s penalty box before unleashing a ferocious shot that flew past Morocco’s goalkeeper before kissing the net to give Kenya football team a 1-0 lead.
Erambo receives red card after a dangerous tackle
However, the situation got tricky for Kenya at the stroke of half time when Chrispine Erambo was red carded after a VAR review.
The referee made the decision to sent Erambo for an early shower after concluding that his tackle was a dangerous one.
Nevertheless, Harambee Stars players were able to protect their slender lead and went on to the half time break in control of the encounter.
At the start of the second half, both McCarthy and Sektioui made a couple of changes to their squads in a bid to enhance their chances of emerging victorious.
The substitution energized the Harambee Stars squad, who nearly got a penalty in the 54th minute after Muchiri was brought down at the edge of the Moroccan 18-yard box. Unluckily, the referee decided to give the Kenyan team a free kick after reviewing the incident on the VAR.
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Despite the Morocco football team constantly attacking the Kenyan side in the second half, they failed to find an equalizer, ensuring Harambee Stars gather the vital three points that were on offer.
Harambee Stars’ next fixture
After the win against the Atlas Lions, the Kenya Soccer team players will shift their focus to the final Group A game against Zambia.
The Zambia vs Harambee Stars match is scheduled to be played at the Moi International Sports Centre (MISC) Kasarani on Sunday, August 17.
Kenya will be seeking to finish their group assignments brilliantly against a Zambian side that is yet to win a match at this years’ CHAN edition.
CHAN 2024 Group A standings after Kenya vs Morocco clash
Kenya currently lead Group A on 7 points while Morocco are third on 3 points having played a game less.
Meanwhile, DR Congo, who have also accumulated three points, occupies the second position while Angola and Zambia are ranked fourth and fifth respectively.
The standings is expected to change in the coming hours since Zambia are playing against Angola at the moment.
Finally, after defying the odds to beat Morocco, Harambee Stars players are guaranteed an additional CHAN 2024 bonus of Ksh 1,000,000 from the Kenyan government. They had already pocketed Ksh 1,000,000 and Ksh 500,000 in that order after beating DR Congo 1-0 and playing to a 1-1 draw with Angola.
Kenya vs Morocco lineups
Harambee Stars: Bryne Omondi (GK), Lewis Bandi, Mohammed Siraj, Michael Kibwage, Sylvester Owino, Manzur Okwaro, Boniface Muchiri, Chrispine Erambo, Ryan Ogam, Ben Stanley Omondi, Edward Omondi
Morocco: Al Harrar, Bach, Louadni, Ait Ouarkhane, Arrassi, Belammari, Riahi, Mouloua, Moufid, Hrimat (Captain), Elmahraoui
More to follow…