Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy had to wait a little longer for his first win in charge of Kenya after the team squandered several scoring chances in a goalless draw against Chad in an international friendly played in Marrakech, Morocco.
The match saw Kenya dominate possession and create multiple opportunities, particularly through the efforts of William Lenkupae and Boniface Muchiri, but a lack of clinical finishing ultimately cost the Harambee Stars a potential victory.
Early in the game, Muchiri was at the heart of Kenya’s attacking play. The Ulinzi Stars forward made an encouraging start, pushing forward from the left wing and testing the Chad defense. Kenya’s first notable attempt came within six minutes when Muchiri found space inside the box but fired his shot over the bar, missing an early chance to give his team the lead.
Chad responded with some pressure of their own and came close to scoring when a header was sent towards goal in the 12th minute. However, Kenyan goalkeeper Brian Bwire was alert and made a good save to keep the scores level.
Muchiri continued to be a threat, delivering a well-placed cross in the 16th minute that found Lenkupae in a good position inside the box. Unfortunately, Lenkupae headed over the target, missing a prime chance to put Kenya ahead.
The most glaring missed opportunity for Kenya came on the half-hour mark. Muchiri made a skillful run down the left flank and provided a precise pass to Lenkupae, who found himself one-on-one with the Chad goalkeeper. Surprisingly, the Central Coast Mariners forward failed to convert, sending the ball wide despite having a clear chance to score. This miss left the Harambee Stars and their fans frustrated, as it was arguably the best chance of the game.
Both sides went into halftime without finding the net, and hopes were high that the second half would bring more attacking intensity and goals. In an effort to inject creativity and urgency, coach McCarthy introduced Austin Odhiambo after the break. Although Kenya showed signs of improvement, they struggled to break down the resilient Chad defense as they did in the first half.
Chad, on the other hand, came close to scoring in the 58th minute when Mahamat Thiam managed to get past defenders but his shot was wide, sparing the Harambee Stars from conceding an away goal.
Kenya continued to push forward and created another promising opportunity just a minute after Chad’s near miss. Lenkupae found himself on the break and unleashed a low shot that looked destined for the back of the net, but Chad’s goalkeeper Mbainaissem Jourdain reacted swiftly to tip the ball away, denying Kenya yet again.
In an attempt to find a breakthrough, McCarthy made further changes by bringing on David Sakwa and Ben Stanley in the 64th minute, and later replacing Muchiri with FKF Premier League top scorer Emmanuel Osoro. Despite these tactical adjustments, Kenya was unable to convert their dominance into a goal, and the match ended in a goalless draw.
This result means Benni McCarthy has now overseen three matches in charge of Harambee Stars, with two draws and one defeat. The team previously played out a 3-3 draw with The Gambia and lost 2-1 to Gabon in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers earlier in the year.
Although the friendly match against Chad did not produce the desired victory, it offered the Harambee Stars valuable lessons. The team will look to improve their finishing and composure in front of goal ahead of their next encounter against Chad, scheduled for Tuesday, June 10. McCarthy and his squad will hope to capitalize on these insights and finally secure a win as they continue to build momentum under their new coach.
