Harambee Stars’ hopes of reviving their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign took a huge hit on Friday after they were beaten 3-1 by Gambia at a packed Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.
The defeat left fans disappointed and questioning the direction of the national team under head coach Benni McCarthy.
The match began with plenty of optimism. Kenya, buoyed by the loud home crowd, started brightly. Richard Odada, Duke Abuya, and Timothy Ouma combined well in midfield, creating the first clear chance in the seventh minute.
Emmanuel Osoro’s cross found William Lenkupae, whose low volley missed the target by inches. Minutes later, Gambia’s goalkeeper Baboucarr Gaye almost gifted Kenya an opener with a poor clearance, but defender Sainey Sanyang saved his blushes by intercepting.
The excitement inside Kasarani quickly turned to silence in the 12th minute. Gambia’s Sheriff Sinyan rose unmarked to head home a corner from Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh, punishing Kenya’s poor marking.
Harambee Stars almost equalized through Ouma, but his curling effort was ruled out for offside in the build-up.
Kenya’s early dominance soon faded as defensive errors crept in. Gambia grew in confidence, and their pace on the flanks began to cause problems. In the 25th minute, Minteh pressed high, won possession, and finished off a cross from Musa Barrow to double the visitors’ lead.
Kenya’s backline looked unsettled, and the Scorpions nearly added a third when Adama Sidibeh raced through, only to see his pass wasted by Barrow.
The inevitable third goal came in the 38th minute. Another defensive lapse allowed Sidibeh to cross into the box, where Barrow volleyed home past a helpless Bryne Omondi.
At 3-0 down, Harambee Stars looked broken, their attack failing to click, and captain Michael Olunga starved of service.
McCarthy responded at halftime by introducing CHAN stars Manzur Okwaro and Alpha Onyango, who added energy and fight.
Kenya pushed harder in the second half, with Olunga trying his luck from range and Abuya having a goal ruled out for offside. Onyango also came close with a powerful strike that was deflected wide.
The hosts finally got a reward in the 81st minute when Ryan Ogam, another CHAN standout, came off the bench to slot past Gaye for a consolation goal. Kenya pressed late for more, but Gambia defended well to secure a famous 3-1 win.
The result sees Gambia climb to fourth in the group with seven points, overtaking Kenya, who remain on six. Gabon lead with 18 points, followed by Ivory Coast (16) and Burundi (10).
On social media, frustrated Kenyan fans were quick to point fingers at McCarthy’s squad selection. Many argued that the CHAN team, which stunned Morocco and DRC recently, would have performed better.
“CHAN squad is way better than this team,” one fan posted. Others accused the coach of dropping too many local players in favour of foreign-based stars who struggled to connect on the pitch.
Former Gor Mahia coach Jonathan McKinstry, now in charge of Gambia, masterminded the win with clever counter-attacking football, using Minteh’s Premier League pace to devastating effect.
For Kenya, the painful defeat was a reminder that passion and potential must be matched with smart tactics and disciplined play.
Harambee Stars will now need to regroup quickly if they are to salvage their campaign. With only group winners guaranteed a ticket to the 2026 World Cup and the best runners-up heading to playoffs, the road has become even steeper for Kenya.
