Benni McCarthy on Why it is the Right Time for Kenya to Beat South Africa

Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy believes his team can take advantage of the change of guard in South Africa to secure a surprise win when the two sides meet in November.

Kenya and South Africa will clash in back-to-back 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers with McCarthy facing his country and while Harambee Stars are seen as the underdog, the tactician feels there is a good chance to win.

McCarthy’s optimism comes from the fact that Bafana Bafana are currently under a transition following the appointment of Pitso Mosimane, who oversaw his first match on Saturday, as his team beat Guinea 2-1.

“As good as they are, we have seen them at the World Cup but whenever there’s a change of guard, it takes time for players to understand a new head coach,” McCarthy said on Sporty TV.

“It takes time to understand his philosophy, how he plays and what he wants to achieve.

“So, maybe the [change of coach] could have come at a better [time] for us because it will take a couple of games for South Africa to play the way Pitso wants to play.”

The Harambee Stars boss will play South Africa after they have featured in three games under Mosimane as they take on Eritrea on Wednesday before playing Egypt in a friendly game.

While Kenya have already qualified by virtue of being co-hosts, McCarthy has made it clear that he is looking for a strong finish in Group D which will see one other team join them at AFCON 2027.

“We are not qualified for me and we are fighting for number one or two spot in the group,” he insisted.

Kenya play away to Guinea on Wednesday and will head into the match looking to bounce back from their disappointing 1-1 draw against Eritrea.