Kenyans took to various social media platforms to share their reactions to Harambee Stars’ loss at home to Gabon with the majority backing head coach Benni McCarthy.Kenya hosted Gabon in a Group F 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier match on Sunday 23 March at the Nyayo National Stadium from 1600 hrs with the game ending 2-1 in favor of the visitors.Follow our WhatsApp channel for more newsTwo goals either side of halftime from 2015 African Footballer of the Year, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and a consolation goal from captain Michael Olunga marked what was an entertaining game but a disappointment for the Kenyan team.AFC Leopards plan to implement Harambee Stars’ ticketing systemAfter the final whistle, Mozzart Sport gathered thoughts from fans physically and sampled some from social media platforms as they aired their opinions of the match and the team in general.Leading from the front was Kenya Football Fans Federation (KEFOFA) President Francis Liboyi who spoke to Mozzart Sport after the game and gave an in-depth overview of the match.“Pierre-Emerick Aubemeyang was the star of the match, scoring both goals for Gabon, Olunga’s goal showcased his leadership and determination. Harambee Stars created several chances but struggled to convert.##NAJAVA_MECA_8801622##The sold-out Nyayo Stadium was electrifying with fans passionately cheering for the home team, creating an unforgettable atmosphere The match highlighted areas for improvement, particularly in finishing and defensive coordination. Despite the loss the team showed a glimpse of promise under coach Benni McCarthy and the overwhelming fan support was a testament to the passion of football,” said Liboyi.Gabriel Tito rued Kenya’s missed chances while also noting the improvements that Kenya should make in organizing high-profile matches.5 key battles lost against Gabon that dented Harambee Stars’ World Cup hopes“The difference between Gabon and Kenya today was that the former utilized their chances and the latter were experimenting with their chances. On matters of match organization, I think going forward, every international fixture or big FKFPL match should be handled like an AFCON and CHAN match to ensure better preparations since it looked disastrous in terms of ticketing and crowd control,” said Tito.On her part, AFC Leopards fan Min Blessin was impressed by how McCarthy set up his team and backed him to improve while also taking time to sing Eric ‘Marcelo’ Ouma’s praises.##NAJAVA_MECA_8803391##“Coach Benni made a bold statement with four changes to the team that had started against The Gambia, a clear indication of probably what is coming in the near future. It was always going to be a tall order against Gabon, but the fighting spirit in the team was there for everyone to see. Once again, Eric Ouma left everything on the pitch. A special mention to the 12th man. I hope we can see more matches sold out, extending to the local league too,” she said.Dennis Mwangi also shared the same sentiment about the former South Africa international.Gor Mahia hits back at Benni McCarthy’s player release claims“Despite being in charge for less than a month and about a week in training, McCarthy had done his best.For the first time, at least we could see the Harambee Stars string over five passes. At least we could tell the structure of the team and how we are playing. Given more time, the coach could just be the one to unlock our potential,” he noted.On Facebook, Martha Conney was equally impressed by the progress of the Kenyan team.##NAJAVA_MECA_8803388##“The game was very entertaining despite the results. Our boys have really improved so much and all I can say is “hard luck” because we had so many shots on target and The Gabon keeper was really kept on his toes,” she said.John Gitau blamed wastefulness in front of goal for the loss in a match which Kenya performed well.“Although the outcome does not reflect the game, Harambee Stars have really played very well. There’s always a next time, otherwise, had they converted the many chances that came their way, we would be celebrating,” he remarked.Harambee Stars midfielder reveals why he chose Kenya over AustraliaMichael Orinoh thinks that the solution to Kenya’s woes is the introduction of fresh blood into the team.“It’s time we give young talents like Kibet (Aldrine) a chance to play in this team. Nothing to be proud of. Gabon was far much better than us, we played rubbish, and we had a lot of problems in our midfield and finishing. We need aggressive and hungry players!”The loss leaves Kenya fourth in Group F with six points, nine shy of Gabon who lead the group and with two points more than Ivory Coast who host Gambia on Monday 24 March from 2200 hrs EAT.
