Caution for Kenya amidst PAMOJA 2024 celebrations
Kenya’s unbeaten march into the quarter-finals of the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) PAMOJA 2024 was met with both celebration and caution on Saturday night.
The Harambee Stars edged Zambia 1-0 in Nairobi to top Group A with three wins and a draw, sending their home fans into jubilation. But head coach Benni McCarthy was quick to remind his players that the hardest part of the journey still lies ahead.
“I am very happy that the boys have delivered and picked three wins and one draw in the group stage. This has been as a result of hard work and we must remain focused ahead of the quarter final stage,” McCarthy said after the game.
The South African tactician, who has transformed Kenya into one of the surprise packages of the tournament, admitted that the late winner from Ryan Ogam didn’t fully reflect his side’s control of the contest.
“Zambia was stubborn today; they defended and played very well. But at the end of the day, when we moved the ball the way that we did, and created the chance for Ryan, we scored one goal, yet we would have liked them to be more.”
The Harambee Stars’ progress has been made all the more impressive by the company they’ve kept. Drawn into what many dubbed the “group of death” alongside Morocco and DR Congo, Kenya not only survived but topped the pool.
McCarthy could not resist a playful remark when asked about Tanzania’s upcoming clash with Morocco in the quarter-finals.
“Tanzania will get their wish, and they will experience what we experienced. The group of death, now Morocco is heading to Tanzania. I want feedback after the Morocco game, so that they know what we went through every game in this tournament. Good luck to Tanzania,” he said with a smile.
For McCarthy, the reward of staying on home soil for the quarter-final is crucial.
“At the end of the day, I am happy with the win because we get to play our next match in the quarter finals, and we stay in Kenya, and that is all that is important,” he noted.
While Kenya look ahead with growing confidence, Zambia’s tournament ended without a win. Still, head coach Avram Grant refused to dwell on disappointment. Instead, he highlighted progress made by his young squad, particularly in their defensive setup.
“We showed improvement today, especially defensively. In the other matches, we were even poorer but we have shown good improvement. It’s important to know we brought a squad that we wanted to test, how they can fit in the senior team,” Grant explained.
The former Chelsea and Ghana boss emphasised that the Chipolopolo’s priorities lie beyond CHAN.
“I’m not worried about the future of the team, because this tournament is basically for testing and exposing players in the local leagues. We have FIFA windows coming up next and that’s where our focus will be, with all the players playing in the abroad leagues available for selection,” he said.
For Zambia, the exit marks the beginning of a rebuilding phase. With Grant’s long-term vision centred on player development and integration into the senior setup, the lessons from PAMOJA 2024 may yet shape the Chipolopolo’s future.
