Kenya's Harambee Stars stumbled to an unconvincing 1-1 draw against Eritrea in their opening fixture of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign, but coach Benni McCarthy has moved swiftly to defend his squad's efforts. Playing at Nyayo Stadium on matchday one, Kenya's defense was caught out early when Nahom Girmai Netabay capitalized on a costly lapse in the 36th minute to put Eritrea ahead against the run of play. It took until the 86th minute for the hosts to respond, with Ryan Ogam firing home after good work from substitute Ben Stanley Omondi to secure a late leveler—a result that drew audible disapproval from supporters who booed at the final whistle.
Despite widespread expectations that Kenya would breeze past their opponents, McCarthy refused to join the chorus of criticism directed at his players. Speaking after the match, the South African tactician emphasized the squad's commitment and intensity throughout the contest. "There is nothing that can make me complain about the game, that I can point a finger, that can I say like the team lacked this, the team lacked that, because they had the desire, they had the heart to perform," McCarthy stated. He acknowledged that limited preparation time—the team had not trained for four days before kickoff—contributed to their clinical shortcomings in front of goal, with Ogam particularly guilty of spurning scoring opportunities that he would typically convert. McCarthy stressed that despite these finishing woes, Kenya were the superior force on the pitch and deserved credit for their overall display.
McCarthy also moved to shield goalkeeper Byrne Omondi from blame for Eritrea's opening goal, drawing a striking comparison to African football royalty. "If you have played Champions League final and won it, you know football," McCarthy said in defending his custodian. He drew parallels between Omondi and Denis Onyango, highlighting the goalkeeper's exceptional performances during recent tournament appearances and his daily excellence in training. McCarthy expressed bewilderment that a keeper of Omondi's caliber remained in Kenya's domestic league, suggesting his quality would merit opportunities in Europe or North Africa. The coach underscored his complete confidence in the 'keeper for the national team setup, where he continues to demonstrate world-class credentials distinct from his club performances.
Kenya's quest to progress from Group D intensifies with a challenging trip to West Africa, where they will face Guinea on October 1st at Stade du 28 Septembre in Conakry. With hosts Tanzania and Uganda already assured of their spot in the finals, only the highest-ranked team among Kenya, Guinea, Eritrea, and South Africa will secure qualification from their pool. South Africa's new manager Pitso Mosimane made a winning start to his tenure, defeating Guinea 2-1 at Orlando Stadium in Soweto, leaving the Bafana Bafana atop Group D with three points. Kenya and Eritrea occupy second and third respectively with one point each, while Guinea remain winless and face an uphill battle to remain in contention.