- Harambee Stars vs Estonia: 2026 FIFA Series Mini Tournament player ratings from Friday, March 27.
- Estonia edged the match 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 draw at Amahoro Stadium in Kigali, Rwanda.
- Ryan Ogam netted the second-half equalizer, while Richard Odada missed the decisive spot-kick for Harambee Stars.
The men’s national team, Harambee Stars, were agonizingly beaten on penalties 1(4)-1(5) by a 128th-ranked Estonia in the 2026 FIFA Series Mini Tournament on Friday evening at the Amohoro Stadium in Rwanda.
Harambee Stars, who dominated much of the game but squandered their chances, managed to equalize in the second half through Ryan Ogam, forcing the contest to a penalty shootout since the tournament doesn’t go into extra minutes.
It was Richard Odada who attempted a Panenka that sailed over the bar, sending the European side into the finals.
ALSO READ: Estonia edge Harambee Stars on penalties to reach FIFA Series tourney final
Even though this is considered a friendly match, it’s still a mini-tournament with a final to play for. Estonia will now face the winner between hosts Rwanda and Grenada, while Kenya will take on the loser on Monday.
Marking the 15th match since Benni McCarthy took over, this becomes the second time after the CHAN elimination in the quarterfinals, that Kenya have been defeated on penalties under his watch.
In this piece, SportPesa Blog take a look at how the players fared, and those who did not make their mark, resulting in a horrific night to forget.
Harambee Stars vs Estonia FIFA Series 2026 Player Ratings
Goalkeeper – Ian Otieno 5/10
The Richards Bay custodian was largely untested throughout the match, and he could do nothing about the set-piece corner that saw Estonia score in the 21st minute through Tanel Tammik’s thunderous header, which gave the Estonian side an early lead.
For the rest of the game, he remained solid.
During the penalty shootout, Otieno looked very confident and managed to save one spot-kick. As for the rest, even though he read them, they proved too powerful for him.
Defender – Rooney Onyango 4/10
In the first half, Onyango looked so lost in the game, making runs up the right wing while forgetting to track back quickly for the defense.
This allowed the Estonian wingers to execute and deliver passes well inside the box.
Defender – Frank Odhiambo 5/10
Playing in central defense, the Gor Mahia prospect was very active in the match, extinguishing most dangerous attempts.
The only blemish was losing his marker, Tanel, who gave Estonia the lead, but generally, he was dependable at the back.
Defender – Alphonce Omija 5/10
Pairing up with Frank Odhiambo at the back, Omija was solid in defense, though he made some risky tackles near the box that could have resulted in goals or even a yellow card that might have disrupted their play in the final third. Still, he got away with it.
Defender – Aboud Omar 5/10
For the 64 minutes he played at left back, Aboud, who was captain for the night, managed to play some good football throughout.
He was able to deliver quality crosses to Lenkupae on the wing, which created chances that just did not go their way. He was also disciplined all through.
Defensive Midfielder – Manzur Okwaro 6/10
Every time Okwaro is on the pitch, he keeps proving why he deserves his caps. He was one of the most active players on the field – if not the most active-on Friday night.
Okwaro made runs all over the pitch, making interceptions and creating chances from both central areas and the wings, while also tracking back to defend.
Defensive Midfielder – Richard Odada 4/10
Odada was paired with Okwaro in midfield, with the expectation that they would make runs forward while also returning to shield the defense.
In the first half, Odada looked somewhat sluggish, as his passes failed to connect up front. He was also booked in the 32nd minute for a needless foul on an Estonian player.
The UTA Arad player had a night to forget, as his Panenka penalty miss was the final blow for Kenya’s hopes of reaching the final. He had taken over the captain’s armband after Omar was substituted.
Winger – William Lenkupae 3/10
McCarthy relied on Lenkupae to supply the balls in attack, but he looked exhausted and lacked energy during the 64 minutes he was on the field.
He lacked the creativity to pass the ball inside the box, and his slick gameplay did not help at all in the entire match, as at least all his crosses went to waste.
Central Midfielder – Zech Obiero 7/10
Obiero was handed his debut for the national team and did not disappoint, showing why he is one of the key creative pieces this squad needs as they prepare for AFCON 2027.
In the first half, Obiero lacked service on his side as the wingers were not creative enough to press forward.
In the second half, however, he managed to produce one creative pass through the inside channel, which landed at Ogam’s feet, and Ogam made no mistake with the finish from Obiero’s assist.
Winger – Job Ochieng 5/10
The player plying his trade with La Liga side Real Sociedad B looked very promising in the first half, which he did not even complete as he was subbed off due to an injury.
Still, he made some good runs and delivered crosses inside the box during the 40 minutes he played.
Winger – Ben Stanley Omondi 4/10
He was subbed in for Ochieng in the first half, and for the minutes he played, Omondi looked sharp and composed.
Although the ball did not fall well for him, he managed to deliver a good cross to Lawrence Okoth, who missed a clear chance in the final minutes of the game that could have given Kenya the lead and possibly the win.
The Gor Mahia player was one of the few who took a penalty and managed to slot it home.
Forward – Ryan Ogam 8/10
The Wolfsberger AC player has always been the one to come through in the final minutes and relieve the pressure for Harambee Stars.
He scored the equalizer for Kenya and also created several chances that didn’t go his way, despite looking very isolated in the first half.
Ogam netted his seventh goal for the national team.
Austine Odhiambo
Came on late but tried to change the game with his passes and corners, though they didn’t lead to anything. He was the first to take a penalty in the shootout and managed to score.
Mohammed Bajaber
Also came on too late to be rated, but as much as he tried, he missed a penalty that put Kenya back to square one.
Lawrence Okoth
Came on too late for a rating, but missed at least two chances that could have given Kenya the winner or the lead in the final minutes. He did score his penalty.
Crispine Erambo
Arrived late and was among the penalty takers, scoring his.
Benni McCarthy has work to do on Monday to ensure he gets Harambee Stars back to winning ways, with the defeat to Estonia marking the fourth consecutive loss after defeats to Ivory Coast (3-0), Equatorial Guinea (0-1), and Senegal (8-0).
Kenya vs Estonia Starting Lineups
- Harambee Stars: Ian Otieno, Rooney Onyango, Alphonce Omija, Frank Odhiambo, Abud Omar (C), Richard Odada, Manzur Okwaro, Will Lenkupae, Zech Obiero, Ryan Ogam, Job Ochieng.
- Estonia: Karl Andre Vallner, Kristo Hussar, Karol Mets, Erko Jonne Tõugjas, Michael Schjønning-Larsen, Mattias Käit, Markus Poom, Kevor Palumets, Patrik Kristal, Mark Anders Lepik, Rauno Sappien.