Seychelles Coach Praises Harambee Stars' Quality, Admits Charges Were Outclassed by Benni McCarthy

Seychelles were battered 5-0 by Kenya's Harambee Stars at Kasarani Stadium on Tuesday.

Seychelles head coach Ralph Jean-Louis has admitted his side was outclassed by Harambee Stars after a 5-0 loss at Kasarani Stadium in Tuesday night’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier. 

Kenya were ruthless in attack, with Ryan Wesley Ogam and captain Michael Olunga both bagging braces, while Collins Sichenje powered home a header to complete the rout.

Speaking after the game, Jean-Louis praised the Kenyans for their technical and tactical superiority. 

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“They’ve utilized mostly some players who were playing in the CHAN competition, but still they are very good players. You can see they are comfortable on the ball, technically and tactically they have very good understanding,” he told the media after the match.

He admitted Seychelles struggled against Kenya’s aerial threat, especially from set pieces. 

“They also have some tall guys, and with our small defensive players, it was clear they could win most of the high balls. This maybe enabled them to get the goals from set pieces,” he explained.

Building For the Future

Despite the heavy defeat, Jean-Louis stressed that Seychelles is still in transition, describing them as the youngest team in the African qualifiers. 

“We expected it was going to be a very strong and tough match for us, especially playing here in Nairobi. We conceded an early goal and that did not make things better for us. But I think the Kenyan team played very well today and we congratulate them for the win,” he said.

Looking ahead, he highlighted that the side is being prepared for the Indian Ocean Island Games and upcoming fixtures against Gambia and Côte d’Ivoire. 

“This team of ours is still in the building phase. We are preparing it for the next Indian Ocean Island Games. Over the next two years, we will grow. We lost today, but we believe we can win tomorrow,” he added.

Jean-Louis remained optimistic, pointing to the experience his players will take forward. “From our team, you can see we can play football even though we are young. 

“I think we gave our best, but we faced a very strong Kenyan side with huge support today. The result speaks for itself. It is not the end, it is just part of the process of what we are building,” he concluded.