Benni McCarthy requests more time to work with Kenya players ahead of 2027 AFCON
McCarthy shared his views after Kenya delivered an outstanding showing to beat Grenada 3-0 in the third-place match of the FIFA Series at Amahoro Stadium in Kigali, Rwanda, on Monday.
Goals during the first half by Austin Odhiambo and Ryan Ogam, along with a further one from replacement Zech Obiero, meant Kenya came away with a single victory from the tournament. They had been beaten 4-5 on spot kicks by Estonia in the initial fixture, following a 1-1 deadlock in standard play.
Up against Grenada, who had been defeated 4-0 by Rwanda, the Harambee Stars held a 2-0 advantage at the interval, though the margin might have widened if they had converted their strong control into further strikes. Kenya maintained their command and wrapped up the result with just seven minutes to go.
McCarthy concerned over poor scoring
“It was a solid match, we managed to put away a few of the opportunities we made, and rightly claimed the victory, yet I still feel uneasy about it,” McCarthy stated to Flashscore.
“Looking back at our encounter with Senegal, they generated nine openings and netted eight, whereas today we produced 11 clear opportunities and only converted three. That concerns me somewhat.
“We struggle to close out matches, even with the chances we generate like today, without putting them away. Sure, a 3-0 result is pleasing, but consider this: how can you fashion so many obvious chances and fail to score more from them?
Senegal thrashed Kenya 8-0 in a pre-season friendly on November 18, 2025, held in Antalya, Turkey. Sadio Mané notched a hat-trick before the break, with Nicolas Jackson contributing two goals, marking it as a record-breaking defeat for the Harambee Stars.
The ex-Manchester United deputy manager continued: “The following opponent might not give us the breaks we got here. Similar to the Estonia game, we generated plenty of opportunities and ought to have triumphed, qualifying for the final.
“I am pleased for the players, glad they bounced back after the penalty loss to Estonia, but we accept the 3-0 success, continue building, and seek to learn and carry forward the good elements from this fixture.”
McCarthy seeks additional sessions with squad
McCarthy also urged the Football Kenya Federation to provide more preparation periods with the team. The South African icon remarked: “I simply lack sufficient sessions with the group. We require adequate preparation to refine our approach, preventing the squandered opportunities we saw.
“With more time, we could hone our shot conversion. I believe extra periods would make a difference. During CHAN 2024, we trained together for a full month, which enabled our strong showing.
“In the close season, I hope to join the players. Extended time would allow me to identify and address their shortcomings.
“As AFCON approaches, I would appreciate more access to the side, perhaps a two or three-week camp, which would be ideal.”
In the 2024 CHAN tournament held in East Africa, Kenya led by McCarthy advanced to the last 16 by winning their pool, which included Morocco, DR Congo, Angola, and Zambia.
The Harambee Stars effort sparked widespread enthusiasm nationwide. Placed in a challenging section, they secured first in Group A with 10 points from three triumphs and one tie.
However, the last-eight stage ended in disappointment. Leading 1-0 versus Madagascar, Kenya allowed a stoppage-time leveller and exited via penalties.