Shabana Wonderkid Austin Odongo on What Harambee Stars Are Working on to Clinch CHAN 2024

Harambee Stars striker Austin Odongo has challenged his teammates to give everything they have “for just 90 minutes” on every matchday if they are to stand a chance of lifting the African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024 title on home soil.

Odongo, a late call-up to the squad before the tournament kicked off—following a series of player withdrawals and a change in plans by head coach Benni McCarthy—was an unused substitute during the team’s opening clash against DR Congo.

However, the game was decided by an audacious strike from Odongo himself, highlighting his potential despite not officially featuring on the pitch.

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With potentially six matches left in the tournament, Odongo still has a chance to prove himself. He finished the club season strong, netting five goals in his last seven matches—a run of form that helped win over McCarthy.

Speaking from the team’s training base in Kasarani, Odongo expressed pride at being named in the 25-man squad currently fighting to bring glory to the nation.

“I feel fantastic because getting an opportunity is not easy. There are a lot of players in this country, so to earn a spot is a privilege,” he said.

At just 19, Odongo is a product of the Talanta Hela initiative, a 2023 grassroots program that scouted and nurtured hidden talent across Kenya. Now, he dreams of using the CHAN platform to launch his professional career and support his family.

“My main target is to play well and catch the eye of prospective scouts who can help me launch my professional career.”

Odongo is competing for the starting striker’s role alongside Felix Oluoch, Ryan Ogam, and Masoud Juma, but he’s embracing the challenge—and learning along the way.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity. Players here have a lot of experience. They are always correcting my mistakes and giving me great direction.”

One key focus for the squad in training has been finishing. According to Odongo, scoring will be what makes or breaks their CHAN campaign.

“We are working a lot on finishing. You could play an entire match and not score, yet scoring is the most important thing in football.”

Kenya, who are in Group A, will face Angola on Thursday at 7:00 p.m., before taking on Morocco and wrapping up the group stage against Zambia.

Odongo remains grounded, stressing the importance of effort, teamwork, and faith.

“We have to push ourselves over 90 minutes. It doesn’t have to be the whole day—just 90 minutes. We do our best and put God first, and He’ll do the rest.”