Harambee Stars drew 0-0 against current Africa Cup of Nations holders, Ivory Coast. On paper the point is a valuable one and should be treated as such. However, Kenya created enough chances to win the game. Players and fans alike will be disappointed with the display in front of goal.
Two points from a possible six isn’t great in what you consider to be your must-win home matches albeit being played away. So what have we learnt from the two World Cup Qualifiers about the Harambee Stars?
1. Engin Firat Knows his tactics
The nation team head coach is a polarizing figure in Kenyan football. It is often difficult to decipher if fans love or hate him. His press conferences are Oscar worthy and will be fondly remembered when he departs. He is a fiery character and is very defensive about his decisions.
His personality aside, Engin Firat is at home on the tactics board. The displays against Burundi and Co’te d’Ivoire have shown that he can get players to maximize their potential. Against the Ivory Coast for example, Kenya shifted from a 5-4-1 in defence to a 4-3-3 in attack seamlessly. The set up caused a lot of problems for the Elephants as they struggled to play through the Kenyan mid-block.
Modern football requires a flexible approach when it comes to playing style and Harambee Stars appear comfortable playing it. There is a genuine desire to keep the ball and progress it forward despite a lack of quality in areas such as midfield.
Anyembe’s mistake against Burundi cost us two points whereas a lack of quality in front of goal deprived Kenya of a famous win against the Elephants. In both games, the team was well set up for a result.
2. We have a strong backbone in defence
Joseph Okumu’s absence from these two games was a big blow for Engin Firat. Okumu and Johnstone Omurwa have been Firat’s go to men in central defence. This setback necessitated a switch for Firat which disrupted his original plans for the team.
Daniel Anyembe was shifted from right back to pair Omurwa in defence while Rooney Onyango dropped to right back. Despite Anyembe’s mistake against Burundi, I believe the trio gave a decent account of themselves. Joseph Okumu is the oldest at 27 years. I believe we have a solid foundation with these four players and they will likely harbor our hopes of having any success in International football. Eric Ouma ‘Marcelo’ was heavily missed on the left side.
3. Midfield is solid but lacking creativity
Anthony Akumu and Richard Odada have formed a solid partnership in central midfield. The pair complement each other well. Akumu does the dirty work and offers defensive solidity while Odada offers the play making abilities from deep. What is lacking is a creative influence.
The Burundi game is a perfect example of this. They retreated to a low-block defensive structure and it became difficult for Kenya to play through them. Kenneth Muguna has been trusted by firat to play the creative role but he has been disappointing. Austine Odhiambo, Duke Abuya and Timothy Ouma have all showed glimpses of promise when played in the middle. Timothy Ouma showed against Ivory Coast that he can be trusted for that role but his inexperience was clearly visible in his poor decision-making in the final third.
4. The attack is blunt
To put it kindly, we have a blunt attack. Our talisman, Michael Olunga, was poor in both games. His work rate is never in question but he always seems to miss a chance or two in every game. His hold up play also leaves much to be desired. I feel he is better suited to running the channels than being a target man despite his size. We need another option in attack.
The left wing is also another area of concern. Ayub Timbe was sorely missed in these two games as he had picked up form for the national team and has cemented that left wing as his own. We need a winger who will give us the edge in transition and offer a real threat for defences.
5. Fans missed out on two good games
It’s a disappointment that local fans did not get the opportunity to back our national team. Who knows what effect that 5% energy from fans would have had on the players? The pitch in Malawi didn’t look too great either. One can only hope we will be ready to host AFCON in 2027. An opportunity these football loving fans deserve.
