NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenya’s Harambee Stars secured a crucial 1-0 victory against Zambia’s Chipolopolo in their final African Nations Championship (CHAN) Group A match at Kasarani Stadium, booking their place in the quarter-finals and extending their unbeaten run in the tournament.
Ogam’s decisive strike
The decisive moment came in the 75th minute when substitute Boniface Muchiri delivered a precise cross into the box.
Ryan Ogam controlled the ball superbly before calmly slotting past Zambian goalkeeper Charles Kalumba, sending the 27,000-strong home crowd into a frenzy.
The goal was a fitting reward for Kenya’s sustained pressure after a cautious first half in which both teams struggled to create clear scoring chances.
Despite Zambia’s late surge in search of an equalizer, Kenya’s defense, marshaled with impressive discipline, stood firm.
Goalkeeper Faruk Shikhalo produced a crucial late save to deny Kampamba, ensuring Kenya held on for the win.
Kenya tops Group A
The result left Kenya unbeaten at the summit of Group A with 10 points, having already defeated Morocco and DR Congo earlier in the competition. Morocco also advanced after beating DR Congo 3-1 in the day’s other fixture, while Zambia exited the tournament bottom of the group with no points.
Coach Benni McCarthy hailed the victory as a statement of intent, noting Kenya’s transformation from underdogs to serious title contenders.
“When everybody said Group of Death, we would probably have had zero points after four games, but we found ourselves sitting on top of the mountain. Now we really want to enjoy that view,” he remarked.
Zambia’s struggles
For Zambia, the tournament ended in disappointment after four straight defeats. Head coach Avram Grant, however, sought to highlight positives, particularly the exposure gained by his young squad.
“This tournament was very important for me and the staff. It’s a new team, and we wanted to see who is available for the national team,” Grant said.
Despite flashes of quality from Kampamba and Prince Mumba, Zambia’s efforts were consistently thwarted by Kenya’s resilient defense and Shikhalo’s assured goalkeeping.
Fans inspire victory
Kenya’s players were quick to acknowledge the impact of the home support. Defender Daniel Sakari had stressed the importance of fan backing before the game, and that support proved crucial as the Harambee Stars withstood Zambia’s late pressure.
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Muchiri nearly doubled the lead in the dying minutes with a powerful strike, but Kalumba made a fine save to keep the scoreline at 1-0.
Road to the knockouts
With momentum firmly on their side, Kenya will remain in Nairobi to face Madagascar in the quarter-finals on Friday.
Morocco will travel to face Tanzania in the other last-eight clash.
The Harambee Stars’ historic campaign on home soil continues, with fans now daring to believe their team could make a deep run in the tournament.