‘I apologise for these results’ – FKF president apologizes and promises policy review after Harambee Stars heavy defeat to Senegal

• FKF president Hussein Mohammed has apologized to Kenyans following Harambee Stars heavy defeat to Senegal on Tuesday, November 18.
• He announced that the federation will immediately begin a comprehensive review of its policies, operational procedures, and key performance indicators.
• The president also addressed another disappointing result recorded on the same day, as the Under-17 boys’ team was held to a 1–1 draw by Somalia.

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president Hussein Mohammed has announced that the body will immediately begin a comprehensive review of the policies, operational procedures and key performance indicators for all FKF staff members, from the grassroots level up to the national team.

His statement came just minutes after the men’s national football team Harambee Stars suffered a crushing 0-8 defeat to 2021 African champions Senegal at the Mardan Stadium in Turkey on Tuesday, November 18.

Former Liverpool star Sadio Mane stole the show with a hat-trick, while Bayern Munich forward Nicolas Jackson netted a brace. Malick Diouf and Cherif Ndiaye also found the back of the net, ensuring the Beni McCarthy-led squad ended their 2025 international friendly matches with a bitter lesson to digest.

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FKF president reacts to Harambee Stars heavy defeat to Senegal

The loss to the Pape Thiaw-led side has now placed the Harambee Stars’ technical bench, led by former Manchester United forward coach Benni McCarthy, under intense scrutiny as FKF president’s comments indicate serious concern.

He further appealed to Kenyans for forgiveness, stating that the lopsided defeat was a wake-up call regarding the direction of the national team’s progress.

We have no excuses. I apologise for these results. We shall fix it. We will review our policies, operational procedures and key performance indicators of all staff starting from the grassroots and working our way to all National teams.”

Hussein Mohammed reacts as Kenya U17 boys held 1–1 by Somalia in U17 AFCON Qualifier

The president’s comments also touched upon another disappointing result from the same day, as the Under-17 boys’ team was held to a 1-1 draw by Somalia in their U17 AFCON qualifier in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

He emphasized the necessity for greater investment in the sport to compete with the world’s best.

Truth be told, today is a bad day in office. The results from today’s games are a wake-up call to us. To play and compete against the best in the world requires deliberate investment in a serious and professional technical team and player development programs.”

This match marked McCarthy’s 15th game at the helm, but it was by far the worst performance since he took over in March 2025. His squad’s previous heaviest loss was a 3-0 defeat to Ivory Coast in the World Cup qualifiers.

Benni McCarthy record as Harambee Stars head coach

1. Gambia 3:3 Kenya
2. Gabon 2:1 Kenya
3. Chad 0:0 Kenya
4. Kenya 2:1 Chad
5. Kenya 1:0 DR Congo
6. Angola 1:1 Kenya
7. Kenya 1:0 Morocco
8. Zambia 0:1 Kenya
9. Kenya 1:2 Madagascar
10. Kenya 1:3 Gambia
11. Kenya 5:0 Seychelles
12. Burundi 0:1 Kenya
13. Ivory Coast 3:0 Kenya
14. Kenya 0-1 Equatorial Guinea
15. Kenya 0-8 Senegal