- Grenada vs Kenya third-place playoff in the FIFA Series 2026 saw Harambee Stars secure a 3-0 victory on Monday, March 30.
- The match was staged at Amahoro Stadium in Kigali, Rwanda, where the Group A fixtures were being held.
- Austine Odhiambo, Ryan Ogam, and a deflected effort involving Zech Obiero guided Benni McCarthy’s side back to winning ways, ending the mini tournament on a high note.
Ryan Ogam struck back to back for Harambee Stars as the national team managed to bounce back from their Estonia defeat in the FIFA Series Group A semifinals, cruising past Grenada 3-0 on Monday evening to snatch third place in a mini tournament staged in Kigali, Rwanda.
Ogam, who bagged his eighth goal in a national team shirt – having notched the solo strike for Harambee Stars on Friday against Estonia, where they fell on penalties after a 1-1 draw, continues to make serious noise in the football world comeback after enduring a rough spell in Austria since his transfer there.
Meanwhile, Austine Odhiambo opened the scoring for Kenya, while Zech Obiero, coming off the bench, played a part in the third goal, his strike taking a deflection for an own goal by the Spice Boys forward Vijay VALCIN. Obiero has also made his presence felt with the national team after debuting against Estonia, where he registered an assist.
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Although it was a friendly tournament, there was plenty at stake for Harambee Stars, including silverware.
More importantly, as these were FIFA-sanctioned matches, strong results were crucial in improving their current 112th position in the rankings, while Grenada were also looking to climb from 164th place.
Grenada vs Kenya: Harambee Stars end FIFA Series 2026 on a high
Harambee Stars started the match with clear intent from the first minute, and by the sixth minute they had fashioned a promising chance from a set-piece just outside the box. Austine Odhiambo’s attempt was parriedby Grenada custodian Trishawn Malcom for a corner that ultimately came to nothing.
The hosts kept their composure, and in the 12th minute, they drew first blood. Ben Stanley delivered a low cross to Ryan Ogam, who unleashed a long, powerful shot.
Malcom managed to parry it, but the ball slipped out of his reach. Austine Odhiambo, lurking on the right wing, calmly slotted it home to give Benni McCarthy’s charges the lead.
On the left side, Jeremiah Akins whipped in a very dangerous cross into the box, where a prepared Farouk Shikalo was waiting to collect.
Two minutes after that attempt, Harambee Stars bagged their second goal through a well-worked set piece.
Rooney Onyango fired from an Austine cross, the ball deflected toward Stanley’s left side, and Stanley simply let it roll to the edge, where a waiting Ryan Ogam netted his second straight goal of the tournament- also his eighth for the national team.
A minute past the half hour mark, Harambee Stars came close to making it three, but the left-side crossbar denied Austine Odhiambo a brace.
A slick passing sequence saw Clarke Odour feed Ben Stanley, who chipped it for Austine, but his right-footed effort rattled the bar, and they missed the chance to sit comfortably with a two-goal cushion.
Grenada kicked off the second half on a high note, creating a decent chance just two minutes in that fizzled out. However, Kenya pulled themselves back into rhythm and got a clear opportunity in the 50th minute.
Mohammed Bajaber, who came on for Ben Stanley at halftime, latched onto a clever back pass from Austine, but his effort just drifted wide of the goal as the match continued to heat up.
The second half didn’t see as much from Harambee Stars, as Benni McCarthy made nine more changes to give everyone a runout.
Still, one goal came from those adjustments. In the 80th minute, Daniel Sakari on the right found William Lenkupae in the box, and Lenkupae simply laid it off to Obiero, who fired a low, loose shot that deflected off Vijay Valcin to add to Harambee Stars’ tally sealing the win and third place in the mini-tournament.
Grenada vs Kenya FIFA Series 2026 third place playoffs lineups
- Harambee Stars: Farouk Shikhalo, Rooney Onyango, Mike Kibwage, Frank Odhiambo, Manzur Okwaro, Duke Abuya, Crispine Erambo, Clarke Odour, Austine Odhiambo, Ben Stanly Omondi, Ryan Ogam.
- Grenada: Trishawn Malcom, Joel Decoteu, Sandiford Junior, Jeremiah Akins, Jordan Francis, Romar Mathew, Josh Patrick, Shavon Owen, Anton Muirhead, Denzil Pierre, Bobby Williams.