Harambee Stars Thrash Grenada to End Four-Match Winless Run for Benni McCarthy

Harambee Stars ended a run of four straight losses following a 3-0 thrashing of Grenada in the FIFA Series in Kigali, Rwanda on Monday.

Kenya had recorded a 1-1 draw before losing 5-4 on post-match penalties to Estonia on Friday, which saw them drop to the third-place playoff of the mini-tournament, against a Grenada team that had been trashed 4-0 by Rwanda on the same day.

After a slow start that had them punished on Friday, Benni McCarthy’s men started quickly on Monday and were rewarded with two first-half goals.

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Austine Odhiambo, handed a start by McCarthy, broke the deadlock after 13 minutes when he slammed home after the Grenada goalkeeper had spilled Ryan Ogam’s shot.

Kenya had won possession after pressing the Grenada defenders before Ogam fired home but the goalkeeper parried the ball away only for it to fall in the path of the ex-Gor Mahia playmaker.

Grenada would make a rare foray into the Kenyan box before Faruk Shikhalo, starting in goal for this match, was made to keep away a fierce shot.

Soon after, it would be 2-0 for Kenya. Chris Erambo, another one handed a start, took a great shot from distance and the goalkeeper punched it out for a corner.

Kenya took it short before Odhiambo squared the ball to an unmarked Duke Abuya, whose shot hit a defender before the ball fell to Ben Stanley Omondi out wide.

The Gor Mahia winger, impressive in the game, squared the ball in the box and Ogam took it first-time to score the second for Kenya, making it two goals in as many games for him in the FIFA Series.

Soon after, Clarke Oduor, another one getting a start, had two good chances to open his Harambee Stars account but wasted both of them, seeing his efforts go inches wide. The second of those had been laid on the plate for him by the enterprising Odhiambo.

Just before halftime, Erambo also got a shot at goal after positioning himself between the defenders but fired over the bar.

Upon resumption, McCarthy made three changes, taking off Ben Stanley for Mohammed Bajaber, Ronney Onyango for Daniel Sakari and Erambo for Alpha Onyango.

However, it was Grenada who threatened first, Jabari De Coteau forcing a good save from Shikhalo after making a good run forward in the 47th minute.

That was the Caribbean side’s only attempt in the second half as Harambee Stars bossed possession but with no end product like in the first half.

More changes would be made after 62 minutes, Ogam, Shikhalo, Austine Odhiambo and Frank Odhiambo coming off with Brian Bwire, Abud Omar, Alphonce Omija and Zech Obiero coming on before William Lenkupae was brought on for Oduor four minutes later.

It was not until the 76th minute that Harambee Stars had a real go at the Grenada goal when Obiero, on the half-turn, fired directly at the goalkeeper, and in the 81st minute, he finally found the target when after a good passing move, Lenkupae laid it to him before he fired in the third goal via a deflection. That was the debut Harambee Stars goal for Obiero, who provided the assist for the equaliser against Estonia.

Bajaber thought he had scored Kenya’s fourth two minutes from time but he was flagged offside.

Kenya’s win ended a run of four games without a victory as the shootout loss to Estonia had come after an 8-0 thrashing by Senegal, 1-0 defeat to Equatorial Guinea and a 3-0 loss to Ivory Coast.

McCarthy will hope to have picked vital lessons as he tunes his team with an eye on the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.