NAIROBI, Kenya — Harambee Stars, under the guidance of coach Benni McCarthy, moved closer to a spot in the African Nations Championship (CHAN) quarter-finals with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over two-time champions Morocco on Sunday afternoon. The win extends the Kenya’s unbeaten run in the tournament, following a 1-1 draw against Angola on Thursday.
The match began with Morocco creating the first significant chance, as midfielder Mohamed Rabie Hrimat’s header was brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Byrne Omondi in the opening ten minutes.
Despite having more possession as the first half progressed, Kenya struggled to create clear-cut opportunities, with their long-range efforts failing to trouble the Moroccan goalkeeper.
The deadlock was broken just before halftime when Ryan Ogam carved out space in the box and fired a shot into the corner of the net, giving the hosts a crucial lead.
The first half ended on a difficult note for Kenya, as the team was reduced to ten men for the second consecutive match. Crispine Erambo was shown a red card after a review by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR).
Ten minutes into the second half, the Harambee Stars believed they had been awarded a penalty for a foul on Boniface Muchiri. However, following a VAR review, the referee overturned his initial decision, as the foul was determined to have occurred just outside the penalty area.
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With a man down, Kenya displayed a resilient defensive effort in the closing stages of the match, successfully thwarting Morocco’s attacks to secure all three points.
This victory cements their position at the top of Group A and puts them in a strong position to advance to the knockout stage.
The Harambee Stars were without Marvin Omondi, who received a red card in their previous match against Angola.
