5 Takeaways From Harambee Stars’ Memorable CHAN 2024 Draw With Angola at Kasarani Stadium

Harambee Stars held Angola to a dramatic 1-1 draw in their second match of the African Nations Championship (CHAN 2024) on Thursday night at the Moi International Sports Center, Kasarani.

Angola took an early lead through Joaquim Paciencia in the 7th minute, but Kenya quickly responded via Austin Odhiambo’s penalty in the 12th minute. Despite chances for both sides, the scoreline remained unchanged, thanks in part to a key VAR intervention late in the match.

Here are five key takeaways from Kenya’s spirited performance.

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Benni McCarthy named three changes to the starting line up that played during their 1-0 win over DR Congo in their first game of the tournament.

In came Marvine Nabwire, Edward ‘Ondimo’ Omondi and Boniface Muchiri for Masoud Juma, Ryan Ogam and David Sakwa respectively, while Alpha Onyango, who was named man of the match in the first game for his display in central midfield, was pushed forward to start as a 10, with Austin Odhiambo occupying the false number 9 role.

As a result, you could tell that the side lacked cohesion in the opening minutes of the game, and had already conceded by the seventh minute. 

Although Kenya equalised through Austin Odhiambo, the side never looked stabilized ironically until Marvine Nabwire, who looked shaky throughout, was sent off for a professional last-man foul, which forced Benni to ask Alpha to drop back into midfield.

Before the game against Morocco, McCarthy will be hoping to have some of his players, like Sakwa and Juma, available again after injury in order to give the side some sense of familiarity and avoid being unsettled for the opening moments of the game.

Benni McCarthy has chosen to be pragmatic for much of the tournament so far, which has gone against his principles of wanting the team to attack as much as they can, as shown in his first four games in charge of the side.

Benni’s side have been setting up mid-block in a 4-4-2 shape without the ball, defending narrow and forcing opposition teams wide, but against Angola who like to attack from the flanks using combination plays between their wingers and wingbacks, it never worked for the first 20 minutes.

Angola were constantly creating inroads, and it had to take until Nabwire’s red card for the Kenyan wingers, in this game Omondi and Muchiri, to track back more and support fullbacks Daniel Sakari and Abud Omar defensively.

In the second half, McCarthy switched to a 5-3-1 formation by subbing on an extra center back in Mike Kibwage, and it now meant they were defending with five defenders, which prevented Angola from using their flanks to create. In the end, Kenya salvaged a 1-1 draw.

Against Morocco, who are tournament favorites, we expect McCarthy to maintain his pragmatic approach, and should they get a point, they will now fancy their chances of making the knockout stages.

The Video Assistant Referee came to Kenya’s rescue yet again. In the first game against DR Congo, VAR disallowed a goal after Abud Omar was fouled near his own box in build up to their disallowed goal in the opening minutes of the game.

Against Angola, the same happened yet again. First, Austin Odhiambo’s penalty was awarded after VAR found Afonso Mbemba João guilty of tripping the Gor Mahia man in the box, and then in the dying minutes, Kaporal’s winner for Angola was ruled offside.

Were it not for VAR intervention, it may have been a different night for Kenya.

Harambee Stars players must learn how to manage games better. It is something they have managed to get away with in the opening two games, but against Morocco, considered the strongest team in Africa, they could get punished.

Against Angola, Ben Stanley Omondi’s mistake could have cost the side the result were it not for VAR intervention.

The youngster entered the match as a late substitute, and his arrival on the pitch was met by a mistake that would have turned things around in favour of Angola.

The defender had the opportunity to seal the win by taking the ball to the corner, but instead, he gave it away to the opposition.

“First, I think I made a poor decision because I didn’t do what I needed to, but it’s a learning process. This is my first time playing in such a crowd and such a competition, and most of us are just learning. I think I picked my lessons today, and I will be better in the next game,” Ben Stanley Omondi admitted after the match.

He added that the main goal of playing in CHAN 2024 is to have international scouts spot them and, hopefully, they can land careers in Europe or other big leagues.

Once again, the Kenyan fans proved to be the difference. With 46,497 supporters in the stands, the energy at Kasarani was electric—and influential.

The home crowd played a part in lifting the team’s morale, especially when down to ten men. Their noise visibly lifted the players and may have even influenced refereeing decisions and VAR reviews.

Coach Benni McCarthy was full of praise for the fans post-match:

“Today, we experienced the 12th man—the fans. It was incredible. The Mexican wave, the energy... At times when the game wasn't going the way we planned, especially with a player less, the fans gave us that extra boost.

Every time our performance dropped a little and Angola started to gain the upper hand, the fans just kept making incredible noise. It lifted the players. I think we truly survived because of our unbelievable fans.

The only quiet moment was when they thought we had conceded late. That silence—it was the quietest I’ve ever heard the stadium. But once the VAR decision was overturned and the goal disallowed, the roar came back. We knew—we’re still in it.

The fans were magnificent, amazing. I don't think the players could be any prouder to be Kenyan.”

Kenya now turns their focus to Morocco. A draw could be enough to send them through, and if the fans show up once again, the Stars might just continue writing a special chapter in CHAN 2024.