Harambee Stars held by Lesotho in Pretoria friendly

The Benni McCarthy-coached side drew first blood after Frank Odhiambo fired a right-footed belter in the upper centre of the goal in the 17th minute and held the lead through to the first half.

Thabo Makhele headed home in the 70th minute to restore parity for Lesotho as he threw a spanner in the works for Harambee Stars, who were eyeing their first win over the Southern African side since 1993.

Harambee Stars will have another chance to get one over Lesotho when the two sides clash again on Sunday at the same venue.

Kenya had a running start with dominant possession in the early stages of the match and the efforts paid off when Gor Mahia's defender Odhiambo plundered in the opener, leaving Lesotho’s goalkeeper Sekhoane Moerane with no chance.

Despite the drab draw Kenya maintained their recent unbeaten run, which dates back to their 3-0 win against Grenada in March.

Harambee Stars are using the friendly matches to sharpen their claws ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.

Kenya alongside Uganda and Tanzania have already secured their place in next year’s edition by virtue of being the co-hosts but will participate in the qualifiers to remain active.