- The Ivory Coast vs Kenya player ratings saw Harambee Stars players fail to impress as Ivory Coast recorded an emphatic 3-0 win to qualify for the World Cup 2026.
- The match was played at the Stade Olympique Alassane Outtara on Tuesday night.
Tuesday marked the end of Kenya’s qualifying journey for the FIFA World Cup 2026 tournament set to take place in the USA, Canada and Mexico.
Up against Ivory Coast, who are the reigning Africa Cup of Nations champions, the Benni McCarthy-coached side proved to be no match for the Elephants as they succumbed to a 3-0 defeat that saw the Elephants qualify for their first World Cup since 2014.
The result saw Kenya finish fourth in the standings with 12 points, a whopping fourteen points behind group winners Ivory Coast who secured the automatic qualification ticket ahead of Gabon.
ALSO READ: Ivory Coast qualify for 2026 World Cup with win against Harambee Stars
SportPesa Blog looks at the player ratings from that match as Kenya’s World Cup dream ended with some sort of hope.
Ivory Coast vs Kenya player ratings
Bryne Omondi (GK) – 4
The Gor Mahia shot stopper had a bad day in office as he conceded three goals scored by Franck Kessie, Yan Diomande and a stunning free kick by Amad Diallo. His immaculate passing was also faulty at times.
Daniel Sakari – 4
Entrusted to start in the right back position owing to Ronney Onyango’s suspension, the Kenya Police defender struggled defensively as RB Leipzig’s 18-year-old Diomande got the better of him on almost all occasions.
Manzur Okwaro – 4
Same as Sakari, Okwaro had a difficult time containing former Arsenal man Nicolas Pepe and Manchester United’s Amad Diallo.
Sylvester Owino – 5
Apart from making a goal-line clearance in the opening minutes of the game, Owino had nothing much to write home about defensively.
Alphonce Omija – 4
Suffered from a tactical change and had to be brought off at half time as Kenya tried to get themselves back into the game when they were still trailing 1-0.
Collins Sichenje – 5
Alpha Onyango – 6
Was probably the bright spark in the team despite being on the pitch for only 45 minutes. Anchoring midfield on his own, he looked assured on the ball and tried to bring others into the clash.
William Lenkupae – 4
Was a welcome bundle of energy in midfield but barely had anything meaningful to work with as Kenya struggled to create any sustained attacks.
Timothy Ouma – 5
Put in an average display from the centre of midfield.
Michael Olunga – 4
Not the best night for Olunga in Kenyan colours. Aside from struggling to get chances, Olunga failed to hold up play when the team needed him the most and his touch let him down on a couple of occasions.
Ryan Ogam – 4
Known for pulling the rabbit out of the hole since joining the national setup, Ogam struggled to produce any magic upfront.