Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy has provided an insight into the tactical adjustments he made during Kenya’s clash against South Africa, explaining how his decision to switch to a back three helped his side address the problems they were experiencing against Bafana Bafana’s attacking full-backs and wide players.
McCarthy revealed that Kenya had initially struggled to contain South Africa’s width, particularly the attacking threat posed by Aubrey Modiba and the overlapping runs of the opposition full-backs.
He admitted that the visitors were experiencing difficulties dealing with Modiba as the game progressed, with South Africa exploiting the spaces on either flank.
“Their two full-backs were causing us problems. Oswin and Moremi were getting pinned inside, while Rele and Iqram were exploiting the spaces out wide,” McCarthy explained.
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The coach noted that this allowed South Africa’s full-backs too much freedom to advance and contribute to their attacking play, prompting him to reorganise his defensive structure by switching to a back three, with the wing-backs tasked with dealing with the opposition’s advancing full-backs.
The tactical reorganisation was accompanied by a double substitution at the start of the second half, with Alpha Onyango and Stanley Wilson introduced for Adam Wilson and Alwyn Tera.
Amos Wanjala, who had initially started the match as a defensive midfielder, was subsequently deployed in central defence, joining Frank Odhiambo and Sylvester Owino to form a back three.
Wanjala occupied the right centre-back position, with Frank operating as the central defender and Owino on the left.
Further forward, Alpha Onyango joined Stanley Wilson and William Lenkupae in midfield, while Abud Omar and Rooney Onyango operated on either side as wing-backs, providing width and taking responsibility for tracking South Africa’s advancing full-backs.
McCarthy believes the adjustment caught the hosts off guard, revealing that they did not immediately recognise the change in Kenya’s defensive structure.
“So, we switched to a back three, with our wing-backs taking responsibility for their full-backs. I don’t think they knew what hit them after that change,” he said.
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The new formation helped Kenya address the problems they had encountered in the wide areas while providing a better balance between defensive solidity and attacking transitions.
The visitors subsequently found more space, enjoyed greater possession and were able to exert more influence on proceedings.
Reflecting on the impact of the tactical switch, McCarthy added: “We started finding more space, enjoying greater possession and were able to impose ourselves on the game. Ultimately, we got the result we deserved.”
The adjustment showed McCarthy’s willingness to adapt his tactical approach in response to the opposition’s strengths, with the switch to a back three proving instrumental in helping Harambee Stars regain control and become more effective as the match progressed.