Kenya lost on penalties 3-4 to Madagascar in the quarter finals of CHAN 2024 yesterday after a 1-1 draw in 90 minutes and extra-time. Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani was at 80% capacity as directed by CAF but the atmosphere was as pregnant as ever with expectation. In the end it was heartbreak for the Kenyan fans in the most cruel of ways in football, a penalty shootout. Boniface Muchiri had delivered an inch perfect free kick for Alphonce Omija to give Kenya the lead shortly after half time. Ryan Ogam then had a goal disallowed under unclear circumstances. But a hand ball in his own box by Lewis Bandi gave Madagascar the chance to equalize from the spot in the 69th minute. Fenohisana Gilles Razafimaro made no mistake with his penalty. Penalty Heartbreak   As fans trudged out of the stadium in conversation after the loss, the most common words you could hear were ‘ kwani Austin alifanyia nini coach?’ and ‘hizo subs za Benni zimetucost.’ Benni McCarthy has had a brillian...

We’re finally here. After two postponements, numerous site visits by CHAN officials and regular media briefings that often felt like PR stunts, the 2024 African Nations Championships (CHAN) kick off tonight in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Almost a year later than initially scheduled, September 2024. The tournament will be staged across five venues in four cities spread across three co-hosting nations: Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. The Harambee Stars make their debut in the biennial tournament tomorrow against two-time champions, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). It’s a tough draw that includes fellow record-winners Morocco, as well as Angola and Zambia. It’s sink or swim for the national team. The expectations are high in Nairobi. It’s arguably the biggest football competition ever held on Kenyan soil, only rivalled by the Safari Rally, the 1993 FIBA Africa Championship, and the 2017 IAAF World Under-18 Championships in terms of global scale. With high-profile events comes pre...

There is something beautiful happening in the Kenyan football sphere. Football in our country is changing but the change is outside the pitch. The past fortnight has witnessed full stadiums in games featuring the Harambee Stars as well as in the Kenya Premier League (KPL). On Sunday, Kenya’s biggest local derby, the Mashemeji derby, took place at a packed Nyayo stadium. This was only a week after fans filled the ground to watch Kenya lose 2-1 to Gabon in a world Cup qualifier. Meanwhile in Gusii Stadium, fans thronged the stadium to witness Shabana FC thrash Muranga Seal 3-0 in a KPL match. Sports journalist Kevin Teya (https://x.com/TeyaKevin) reported that the Mashemeji derby generated 7.3 million from ticket sales while Shabana managed 1.8 million as the home team. Eye catching figures that make you take notice. Kenyan football fans have long been criticised as too frugal when it came to investing in their own teams. This as the figures show is no longer the case considering fan m...

Benni McCarthy suffered his first loss as Harambee Stars coach after a 2-1 defeat at home against Gabon. The Panthers have their talismanic striker to thank for the three points as they temporarily moved top of group F in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Kenya sits fourth in the group, nine points behind Gabon.  The game started off at a rapid pace, with both teams launching attacks within the first minute of the game. Anthony Akumu had a shot from midfield parried away by Mbaba in goal while on the other side Kenya needed a goal-line clearance to deny Aubameyang. Kenya looked nervous at the back and Gabon were always looking for the ball in behind the Kenyan defence with focus on hitting balls for Bouanga to run onto and cross for Aubameyang.  The breakthrough did come in the 15th minute when Kanga found Aubameyang with a nicely floated ball which the striker took down beautifully and slotted past Ian Otieno. It was attack after attack for both teams and Michael Olunga thought ...

We’ve been here before as Kenyan football fans. A new regime at the helm of the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) usually means a new head coach for the national team. The man chosen to lead Kenya for the next two and a half years is Benni McCarthy. A flashy appointment from Hussein Mohammed and co. McCarthy makes his debut tonight against the Gambia in a World Cup qualifier but all eyes will be on his home debut at Nyayo National stadium against Gabon on Sunday. Kenyan football fans haven’t watched a national team home match since a shock 1-0 loss to South Sudan in a friendly match at Moi International stadium, Kasarani. The coach needs to make a good first impression. The appointment is a crucial one for Kenyan football. One could even argue the next two years have the potential to bring the greatest footballing moments in our history. East Africa finally got hosting rights for the holy grail of African football, the Africa Cup of Nations in 2027. The allure of leading the home natio...

  3.PORTUGAL(GROUP F) Roberto Martinez will get yet another chance to deliver some silverware for another talent-rich nation. The Spaniard was in charge of Belgium’s golden generation but only had a semi-final to show for it in 2018. Portugal present a real threat for any opposition. Portugal are the only side to win all their qualifying games albeit against weaker sides. Their first real test against a top side under Roberto Martinez was their 2-1 friendly loss to Croatia on Saturday.A result that keeps them level-headed ahead of the group games. Tactically, Roberto Martinez has played with two formations, 3-4-3 and a 4-3-3. The later has been used in the past few games, an indication that Martinez may well favour an expansive formation for the tournament. But knowing him, he will certainly prioritize defensive solidity in the tournament.  They have an array of talent especially out wide. Diogo Dalot, Joâo Cancelo and Nuno Mendes offer Martinez countless flexibility from full...

There’s nothing quite like tournament football. The jeopardy of crashing out,the drama of a penalty shootout and the euphoria at the end when your team lifts the cup. It’s even better when it’s a continental quadrennial tournament. Euro 2024 is upon us. Time to don your national team colours(or adopt one). Let’s preview what to expect. The Favourites 1.FRANCE(GROUP D) Les Bleus are without a doubt the team to beat. Didier Deschamps has overseen three finals out of the last four major International tournaments. However, France did exit Euro 2020 at the hands of the Swiss in the round of 16. Blessed with an abundance of talent, Didier Deschamps has the task of producing another successful tournament. N’golo Kanté earned a surprise call up to add depth to what was already an impressive midfield. Tactically, France will likely set up in the familiar 4-3-3 formation although Deschamps has experimented with a 3-4-2-1 against Luxembourg. Decisions will have to be made on who to start between ...

It's crunch time at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. One of Nigeria, Ivory Coast, DRC or South Africa will be crowned champion of Africa. All four teams have a different story; a pressure-riddled host who has more lives than a cat, an unknown quantity who have snuck their way to the table in DRC, a super eagles team who look exactly that, super and a South Africa side hell-bent on claiming the Amapiano bragging rights :). Jokes aside, let's see what the Semi-finals have in store for us. NIGERIA VS SOUTH AFRICA The Amapiano derby as they're calling it on social media. If the game is anywhere close to the heated banter on social media, then we should be in for an exciting match. South Africa have Ronwen Williams to thank for his heroics in the quarters, saving four out of five penalty kicks against Cape Verde. Heroic seems like an understatement considering it's never been done before. He's conceded just two goals in the whole tournament from an expected goal on target...

 It has been three weeks of absolute chaos in the African football world. AFCON 2023 is already being touted as the best African tournament in recent memory, for some maybe the best ever. And it's not difficult to see why. Huge footballing nations such as Ghana, Algeria and Tunisia were sent packing in the group stage while tournament favourites Senegal, Egypt and Morocco were bundled out by much less fancied opposition.  AFCON 2023 has seen more goals scored (105) than the whole of 2021 (100) and 2019 (102) editions of the tournament. What's more astonishing is the 2023 Quarter final line up has no team from the same stage at the previous AFCON tournament. As fans we can only say let the competition keep on giving.  And now the Quarter finals are upon us,. The stakes are higher, the trophy almost in sight. Who is going to make it to the next round? NIGERIA VS ANGOLA  The first quarter final pits the highest ranked African side left in the tournament, Nigeria ,agains...

Africa Cup of Nations 2027 Co-host Kenya fought off a late Russian surge to earn a well-deserved 2-2 draw away in Antalya, Turkey. Despite Russia's issues with FIFA due to the war in Ukraine, they still rank as high profile opponents for the Harambee Stars. Getting a result away from home is encouraging for the team as World Cup 2026 qualifiers near.   Engin Firat's boys thought they had done enough for the win but Ivan Oblyakov salvaged a draw for Russia in the 89th minute after a well worked team goal. A frustrating end to the game for Kenya as we had restricted the Russians to meagre chances in front of goal.  Many fans and pundits on both sides had questioned the competitiveness of such a fixture. Some in Kenya thought why would we play a country that is under a football embargo from FIFA knowing well enough the result would not help our FIFA ranking? Others welcomed it giving credit to the federation for getting the team high profile matches this year against Russia, Iran...