Just hours after pleading for patience, Benni McCarthy finally delivered his first win as the Kenya national football team head coach as Harambee Stars overcame valiant Chad 2-1 at the Marrakech Annex in Morocco on Tuesday, 10 June.Follow our WhatsApp channel for more newsHaving come off a bland draw with the same nation on Saturday, 7 June, McCarthy made nine changes to his side, and got the right reward as they gave him his first victory in his new role after three previous attempts.Two newcomers to the starting eleven provided the goals for Harambee Stars in an exciting first half that saw Kenya dominate play in a manner that belied their struggles three days earlier.##NAJAVA_MECA_8973025##First on target was red-hot striker Emmanuel Osoro, who benefited from a fine team move to poke in Ben Stanley’s low cross inside the box after 18 minutes.The FC Talanta forward turned provider later on, as he collected a fine pass from Austin Odhiambo on the left to tee up David Sakwa for the second.Chad, ranked 66 places below Kenya, did their best to trouble Harambee Stars in a close second half, and grabbed a goal back when Ali Mahamat nodded past Farouk Shikhalo, but that ultimately proved to be a consolation.FTKenya 🇰🇪 2-1 🇹🇩 Chad#HarambeeStars pic.twitter.com/k26nGIl7gW— Harambee Stars (@Harambee__Stars) June 10, 2025 And so after days of question marks over McCarthy’s capacity to get wins, Kenya closed out their twin international friendlies with a morale-boosting routine victory, which will come in handy as the side, mostly consisting of locally based players, prepare for the upcoming African Nations Championships (CHAN) in August.List of complete and incomplete works at Kasarani Stadium [VIDEO]Match ReportCarrying nine changes from the drab draw at the same venue last Saturday, McCarthy’s charges looked a different outfit in the evening kickoff, keeping the ball with a composure that put a visible stamp on their superiority, at least in the FIFA rankings.The boys in red were not about to kick the ball around the park for another 90 minutes without anything to show, and they made sure to get off the mark at their earliest moment, when the sensational Osoro timed his run so well to get to the end of a whipped cross from Ben Stanley.Chad wanatafuta ball na torch.— Ole Teya (@TeyaKevin) June 10, 2025 There was a different air with this side, and not even the shouts of ‘Tranquilo’ from the Chad bench would calm McCarthy’s men, who almost doubled the lead in the 20th minute when the influential Alpha Onyango smacked a short corner from his Gor Mahia teammate Austine Odhiambo well over the bar.Chad, with their only moment in the first half, shot over, despite Thiam Mahamat being in acres of space at the half-hour mark.Sakwa, after failing to thread a through-ball to Odhiambo, got Kenya’s second just at the end of an exciting first half, getting a neat touch from Osoro’s cutback.HTKenya 🇰🇪 2-0 🇹🇩 Chad#HarambeeStars pic.twitter.com/rO1m0fJ0wD— Harambee Stars (@Harambee__Stars) June 10, 2025 McCarthy, just as in the first meeting between these two nations, made changes after the break, bringing on Beja Nyamawi and Brian Musa for Sakwa and Onyango, respectively.And though Kenya showed more threat – Nyamawi placing his one-on-one opportunity wide and connecting with a deflected strike from Osoro, only to be ruled offside – they did not possess the energy and dominant pace seen in the first half, and soon started to retreat.Tumeacha kucheza ball.— Ole Teya (@TeyaKevin) June 10, 2025 Chad had seemingly gathered some extra, fresh gear and made the pressure count when Ali Mahamat nodded in a delightful pass from Youssouf Moussa to half the deficit.All of a sudden, Kenya was holding on, and Mousa almost equalised after weaving through a static Kenyan defense, only for his attempt to be deflected out for a corner.Skipper Ninga Casimir also came close, but keeper Farouk Shikhalo stood strong, preserving Kenya’s lead. That is where they would stay, all hail McCarthy, the rebuild is on, and no need for a magic wand.”I am not a magician,”under pressure Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy pleads for patience
