A lively crowd at Nyayo National Stadium watched as Harambee Stars fell 2-1 to Gabon in a crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifier.Kenyan fans arrived with renewed optimism after witnessing their team snatch a dramatic 3-3 draw against The Gambia in stoppage time. With a fresh sense of belief, many hoped for at least a point, but Gabon, led by former Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, had other ideas.WCQ: Pierre Aubameyang double condemns Harambee Stars to sobering home defeatTeam Setups True to his promise of rotating his squad, Benni McCarthy made four changes to the starting lineup while sticking to a 4-2-3-1 formation. Ian Otieno started in goal, with Eric Ouma and Rooney Onyango as fullbacks, while Daniel Anyembe and Johnstone Omurwa formed the central defensive pairing.In midfield, Anthony Akumu, Richard Odada, and Timothy Ouma provided structure, while Mohamed Bajaber and William Lenkupae occupied the wings. Michael Olunga led the attack.Gabon, on the other hand, set up in a 4-4-2 formation, seemingly wary of Kenya’s strength on the wings.This is how we line-up#HarambeeStars #WCQ #Tunaweza pic.twitter.com/QcF9f4EpQu— Harambee Stars (@Harambee__Stars) March 23, 2025 Tactical Approach Kenya occasionally built from the back, with Anyembe and Omurwa splitting wide, allowing Otieno to find them as a passing option.The fullbacks pushed high, forming a 2-4-4 shape in possession to aid progression.A clear pattern emerged—Kenya moved the ball from center-back to midfield before launching direct balls into Olunga, who was tasked with holding up play and bringing others into the attack.In settled play, Harambee Stars relied heavily on wing play, aiming to overload the flanks and deliver early crosses into the box.PLAYER RATINGS: Lenkupae, Bajaber fight on, but Kenya fails to beat GabonTheir structure depended on fullbacks overlapping while wingers underlapped to create space. This approach led to one of Kenya’s best chances early on, as Rooney Onyango delivered a pinpoint cross that Olunga headed wide.McCarthy’s game plan was direct and attack-oriented, emphasizing wing play and quick transitions into Olunga.Gabon, however, came prepared to exploit the spaces left behind by Kenya’s attacking fullbacks.They repeatedly played the ball into these areas for Aubameyang and Bouanga to chase, targeting the gap between the fullbacks and center-backs—a weakness that Kenya had struggled with against The Gambia.##NAJAVA_MECA_8799842##Gabon specifically targeted the space between Anyembe and Ouma, frequently attempting diagonal passes into this area.Defensively, Gabon switched between a man-to-man press and a 4-4-2 defensive shape. They sat deep in a 4-4-2, waiting for the right press trigger before jumping to press.This plan paid off for the opening goal—they pressed high, forcing a turnover, and Guélor Kanga slipped the ball into Aubameyang, who once again found space between Anyembe and Ouma. With his experience, he needed no second invitation, slotting past the keeper to give Gabon the lead.Gabon, in their 4-4-2 defensive shape, prevented Harambee Stars from progressing through the centre of the field.The asymmetrical midfield 2 in Harambee’s 2-4-4 build up shape were always trapped in the middle of Gabon’s midfield diamond meaning any pass attempted into Odada or Akumu would be cutout and the turnover would lead to a chance for Gabon.To eliminate these central overloads, Coach McCarthy instructed his two wingers to tuck inside, occupying Gabon’s wide midfielders. This small tactical tweak enabled Kenya to build up through the phasesHarambee Stars midfielder reveals why he chose Kenya over AustraliaSecond Half Adjustments Both teams largely stuck to their game plans, but Ouma was given more freedom to overlap on the left. This shift exposed a weakness in Gabon’s defense, as Bajaber and Ouma combined well, finding more space on the left compared to the right.However, this aggressive attacking approach came at a cost. Just ten minutes after the restart, Aubameyang once again exploited the space behind Ouma, latching onto a diagonal pass before firing a shot that Ouma handled inside the box.The referee immediately pointed to the spot, and Aubameyang made no mistake, doubling Gabon’s lead.Kenya responded swiftly, halving the deficit ten minutes later through the same left-wing combination.##NAJAVA_MECA_8799785##Ouma and Bajaber linked up well, and Ouma’s cross found Olunga, who tapped in to bring Kenya back into the game.McCarthy also tweaked his build-up shape mid into the second half with an aim to beat the Gabon two-man press, which was forcing Kenya to go long from most of their restarts. With Ian Otieno not being comfortable coming out of his goal to become an extra player in possession, Akumu dropped in between the two centre backs, creating a 2v1 overload.This change in build-up shape, plus the two wingers tucking inside, helped Kenya to comfortably build-up play and maintain long stretches in possession.Aubameyang’s message to Kenyan fans after sinking Harambee StarsChasing the Equalizer Sensing an opportunity, McCarthy made attacking changes, bringing on Jonah Ayunga and Duke Abuya for Timothy Ouma and Akumu.This tactical switch saw Kenya transition into a 4-4-2 formation, with Ayunga joining Olunga upfront, while Abuya slotted into midfield alongside Odada.The changes added a physical presence to Kenya’s attack, and Ayunga immediately made an impact. In one notable moment, he outmuscled Bruno Ecuele and delivered a low cross, finding Abuya, whose goal-bound shot was blocked—a huge chance for an equalizer.Duke Abuya should’ve scored that ball from Jonah Ayunga plus Marcelo Eric Ouma anajua ball huyo— Duot Kuer (@duotkuerduot) March 23, 2025 Despite Kenya’s late pressure, Gabon held firm, securing a victory that sent them to the top of the group with 15 points, having played a game more than second-placed Ivory Coast. Kenya, meanwhile, sit fourth with six points.Kenya showed promise in attack, especially down the left flank, but defensive lapses and Gabon’s tactical discipline proved costly. Aubameyang’s experience was the difference, as he ruthlessly punished Kenya’s defensive vulnerabilities.McCarthy’s wing-heavy approach created chances, but Kenya’s struggles in transition defense and set-piece execution meant they fell short against a well-organized Gabon side.
