Harambee Stars striker Ryan Ogam has opened up on a crucial moment behind Kenya’s impressive run at the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN), revealing how a stern warning from coach Benni McCarthy spurred the team into action.
Kenya shocked many by topping the so-called “Group of Death,” which featured continental heavyweights Morocco, DR Congo, Angola, and Zambia. Against all odds, the Stars not only progressed to the quarter-finals but did so in style, winning key matches that had fans across the country buzzing with pride.
Among the standout performers was Ogam, who netted two decisive goals both match winners against Morocco and Zambia. His performances were rewarded with a high-profile move to Austrian Bundesliga side Wolfsberger, marking a significant step forward in his career.
Reflecting on the decisive group-stage clash with Zambia, Ogam admitted that despite already sealing a place in the last eight, the team needed victory to finish top and avoid a tricky quarter-final in Dar es Salaam against Tanzania. The match was tense, with Kenya dominating the first half but failing to find the breakthrough.
That’s when McCarthy’s fiery halftime message changed everything. According to Ogam, the coach told the forwards that if they failed to score within the next 10 minutes, all attackers would be benched. The ultimatum placed the team under immense pressure, but it worked to perfection.
“It was tough because we were playing well but not finishing,” Ogam recalled. “When the coach threatened to take us off if we didn’t score, it pushed us. We knew we had no option but to deliver.”
The wake-up call paid off in the 75th minute when Boniface Muchiri set up Ogam, who calmly turned and slotted the ball home from close range. That goal sealed Kenya’s place at the top of the group and highlighted the striker’s instinctive finishing ability.
Ogam’s rise has continued since then, and his poacher’s mentality remains central to Harambee Stars’ ambitions. As Kenya prepares to face The Gambia in an upcoming World Cup qualifier at Kasarani Stadium, the young forward will once again be relied upon to deliver the goals that could keep the nation’s hopes alive.
