Harambee Stars labored to a goalless draw against lowly-ranked Chad in an international friendly on Saturday, June 7, a result that left fans frustrated and head coach Benni McCarthy visibly agitated.Follow Our WhatsApp Channel For More NewsPlayed in Marrakech, Morocco, the match was meant to give a run to locally based players and test Kenya’s depth.But instead of optimism, the evening ended on a sour note, as Kenya failed to convert their dominance into goals against a side ranked 177th in the world.##NAJAVA_MECA_8966889##McCarthy, who fielded a largely home-based squad, did not hold back his disappointment, describing the draw as more painful than a loss.“It’s our first match together for most of these players, so you could see there’s still work to be done in terms of understanding each other. But when you dominate a match like this and fail to score, it’s extremely disappointing,” said McCarthy in a post-match interview with FKF Media.Kenya started brightly, especially in the first half, with winger Boniface Muchiri creating several chances.Austria-based forward eyes WAFCON role with Harambee StarletsHowever, wasteful finishing, particularly from striker William Lenkupae, ensured the game remained scoreless.Chad, though largely on the back foot, tightened their defensive lines in the second half and managed to hold out for the draw.“They [Chad] sat very deep and gave us the midfield, but we weren’t patient or clinical enough. That’s the most frustrating part. The game was beyond them; we had complete control. We just didn’t take our chances,” McCarthy lamented.##NAJAVA_MECA_8969917##The South African coach also refrained from blaming the officials after a penalty shout was waved off, insisting that Kenya’s dominance should have rendered refereeing decisions irrelevant.“I don’t even want to talk about the penalty that wasn’t given. That game was there for the taking, so easy for us. When you don’t score, don’t create enough clear-cut chances, and don’t win, then you’ve only got yourselves to blame.”With another fixture against Chad looming on Tuesday, McCarthy stressed the need for his players to raise their intensity and show a stronger mentality.“This is international football, not the Kenyan league. When Chad went down to 10 men, I saw some of our players slow down. That’s unacceptable. You have to maintain tempo, keep the ball moving quickly, and attack with urgency.”Harambee Starlets head coach resigns ahead of CECAFA tourneyMcCarthy’s frustration is compounded by Kenya’s recent run of underwhelming results. The draw was his third game in charge after a thrilling 3-3 stalemate against The Gambia and a 2-1 loss to Gabon in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in March.While it is still early days for the former Bafana Bafana striker at the helm of Harambee Stars, the result is a stark reminder of the work that lies ahead to get the national team firing consistently, especially against opposition they are expected to beat.
