AFCON 2027 Qualifiers: Benni McCarthy Dismisses Fears of a 'Hiding' Ahead of Guinea Clash

Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy remains optimistic as Kenya prepares for a formidable Group D encounter against Guinea in Conakry on October 1, 2026.

Despite opening their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualification campaign with a frustrating 1-1 home draw against Eritrea at Nyayo National Stadium, the South African tactician insists his squad possesses the tactical foundation and individual quality to stand toe-to-toe with West African heavyweights.

The draw against Eritrea, where Kenya fell behind to a 36th-minute strike by Nahom Girmai Netabay before Ryan Ogam salvaged a point in the 86th minute, drew mixed reactions from fans.

However, McCarthy quickly dismissed concerns of a potential setback, placing the performance in context given the severe logistical disruptions that plagued the team's match build-up.

Addressing questions regarding Kenya's defensive vulnerabilities and clinical execution ahead of the October 1 clash, Benni McCarthy stood firmly behind his squad.

The UEFA Champions League winner highlighted that Harambee Stars controlled every statistical phase of the match against Eritrea despite failing to hold a single full tactical training session due to squad allowance disputes earlier in the week.

With Guinea featuring top-tier players, Benni McCarthy has been warned of a steep escalation in difficulty. Yet McCarthy rejected any narrative that Harambee Stars face an uphill battle, emphasising that structured preparation will resolve the errors witnessed in Nairobi.

Evaluating his side’s performance and addressing concerns ahead of the Conakry trip, Benni McCarthy delivered an unyielding assessment of Kenya’s progression and potential: “Based on what I saw today, I highly doubt there is a hiding coming out of us. The team was excellent; they dominated everything, and we didn’t have enough training.

“And a team that has been preparing for maybe two sessions a day [Eritrea], we were by far the better team, the standout team. I'm not too worried about that because for this week, we had some issues, and I believe two sessions will give us a better chance.

“We had zero sessions and performed like that; with two sessions, we will be better and can limit the mistakes we made. I definitely hope that, with the mistakes we made that cost us a goal, our finishing in the final third will be better.”

The former Manchester United coach’s conviction underlines a focus on structural dominance and shot creation rather than reactionary panic over individual defensive lapses.

The lead-up to Matchday 1 was far from ideal for Harambee Stars as boycotts over unpaid allowances and administrative delays disrupted camp harmony. Despite these hurdles, the squad displayed impressive resilience on the pitch.

As co-hosts alongside Uganda and Tanzania for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, Kenya has already secured automatic entry into the tournament proper.

However, McCarthy views the Group D qualifiers against South Africa, Guinea, and Eritrea as essential testing grounds to turn Harambee Stars into competitive contenders.