Harambee Stars held to goalless draw by Chad

Kenya’s Harambee Stars were held to a 0-0 draw by Chad in a lackluster international friendly on Saturday night in Marrakech, Morocco.

The first half was characterized by Kenya’s effective high press and smooth player rotations. Strikers frequently dropped deep to create central overloads, but both teams lacked the clinical edge needed to break the deadlock.

At halftime, the score remained goalless, and Kenya made several changes in a bid to tilt the game in their favor.

William Lenkupae and Adam Wilson were replaced by Ben Stanley Omondi and David Sakwa in the 63rd minute. Later, James Kinyanjui and Emmanuel Osoro came on for Moses Shumah and Boniface Muchiri in the 75th minute. However, the substitutions failed to provide the breakthrough Kenya desperately sought.

The result means head coach Benni McCarthy has now gone three matches without a win since taking charge in March this year. The South African tactician began his tenure with a 3-3 draw against Gambia, followed by a 2-1 loss to Gabon, and now a goalless draw with Chad.

Kenya, ranked 111th in the FIFA rankings, was expected to dominate Chad, who sit 177th globally. However, the Harambee Stars struggled in the final third and left the pitch visibly frustrated with the stalemate.

With another encounter against Chad scheduled for Tuesday, pressure is mounting on McCarthy to deliver his first victory and inspire confidence in a team that is yet to find its rhythm under his leadership.

 All eyes will be on whether the Stars can bounce back and finally turn possession into points ahead of the CHAN tournament scheduled for August 2 to be held in East Africa