Kenya Beats Zambia 1-0, Finishes Top of Group A in CHAN 2024

Ryan Ogam's winner sends Harambee Stars to quarterfinals as Group A winners

Ryan Ogam scores the winning goal in the 75th minute as Kenya secures a crucial victory over Zambia, advancing to the quarterfinals.

Kenya's Harambee Stars secured a 1-0 victory over Zambia in their final Group A match of the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) held at Kasarani Stadium. Ryan Ogam scored the winning goal in the 75th minute, finishing off a cross from substitute Boniface Muchiri, ensuring Kenya finished top of Group A with 10 points, one clear of Morocco.

The match was a tightly contested affair, with Zambia putting up a strong fight but unable to breach the Kenyan defense. Zambia's goalkeeper, Charles Kalumba, made several crucial saves, but ultimately, Ogam's strike proved to be the difference. The win capped a remarkable group campaign for Kenya, who had previously beaten Morocco and DR Congo, and conceded just one goal in four matches.

Key Highlights of the Match

Winning Goal: Ryan Ogam scored the only goal of the match in the 75th minute, securing Kenya's win and top spot in Group A.

Strong Zambian Resistance: Zambia's goalkeeper Charles Kalumba made several key saves, but ultimately couldn't prevent the loss.

Kenyan Dominance: Kenya controlled the game, creating several scoring opportunities, with Ogam and Odhiambo going close in the latter stages of the match.

The victory sets Kenya up for a quarter-final match against the runner-up of Group B, with Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, likely to host the game. Kenya's fans are eagerly anticipating the match, and the team will look to build on their momentum to make a deep run in the tournament.

Kenya had already secured a spot in the knockout stages, but they needed a win to guarantee a top-place finish. This would give them the advantage of playing their quarter-final match on home soil, providing a significant boost in terms of familiarity and fan support. The stakes were high for the Kenyan team as they aimed to capitalize on this opportunity.

Match Highlights

Kenya had a nervous start to the match, despite knowing the importance of a win to secure a top-place finish. Zambia nearly took the lead in the fifth minute when Kabaso Chongo received a through ball on the right wing. His shot deflected and rolled out for a corner kick, providing Zambia with a promising opportunity to set the tone for the match. Despite this early pressure, Kenya managed to regroup and maintain possession, ultimately creating scoring chances that led to Ryan Ogam's winning goal in the 75th minute.

Kenya responded quickly to Zambia's early threat, with Austin Odhiambo picking up a loose ball and setting up Ryan Ogam with a through pass. However, Ogam's effort went inches wide, denying Kenya an early opportunity to take the lead.

In the 15th minute, Kenya missed another scoring chance. A free-kick delivered by Ben Stanley Omondi caused trouble for Zambia's goalkeeper Charles Kalumba, and the ball was only cleared by defender Dominic Chanda's quick reaction. Ryan Ogam was lurking in the area, almost able to capitalize on the opportunity.

Kenya dominated the game against Zambia, exchanging passes and launching attacks, but struggled to find the cutting edge up front. Despite their efforts, they lacked a clear goal-scoring opportunity. Zambia had a chance to break the deadlock in the 40th minute with a free kick, but Prince Mumba's powerful shot went straight at the goalkeeper and over the crossbar, missing a potentially dangerous opportunity.

The match ultimately ended 1-0 in favor of Kenya, with Ryan Ogam scoring the winning goal in the 75th minute. This victory secured Kenya's top spot in Group A, ensuring they would play their quarter-final match at Kasarani Stadium.

Prince Mumba's effort was the most promising attempt from either side in the first half, but it ultimately sailed over the crossbar. The two teams went into the half-time break still locked at 0-0. As the second half began, Mumba was given a yellow card for a clumsy foul on Stanley Omondi, leaving Zambia to play with caution for the remainder of the match.

Despite the setback, Zambia continued to threaten Kenya's defense, but it was the Harambee Stars who ultimately broke the deadlock. Ryan Ogam scored the winning goal in the 75th minute, securing a 1-0 victory for Kenya and ensuring they finished top of Group A.

Substitutions and Yellow Cards

The match saw several changes in tempo and personnel. Five minutes into the second half, Kelvin Mwanza was given a yellow card for an aggressive challenge in midfield. Kelvin Kampamba was also booked for arguing with the referee over the yellow card decision. Both teams made double substitutions in the 56th minute, with Kenya bringing on Masoud Juma and Boniface Muchiri for Austin Odhiambo and Daniel Sakwa. Zambia replaced Prince Mumba and Kelvin Mwanza with Timothy Sichalwe and Kenneth Kasanga. These changes had a significant impact on the game, as Kenya's new attacking duo began to create more scoring opportunities. One such chance ultimately led to Ryan Ogam's winning goal in the 75th minute, securing a 1-0 victory for Kenya.

After the tactical changes, both teams struggled to find their rhythm, and neither side posed a significant threat in attack. Zambia's efforts were marked by another missed opportunity when Kampamba took a free kick from just outside the box, but his shot sailed over the goal once again.

The introduction of Boniface Muchiri and Collins Juma proved to be a turning point for Kenya. In the 75th minute, they combined beautifully to break the deadlock. Juma passed the ball to Muchiri on the left, who carried it into the middle and squared it to Ryan Ogam. Ogam controlled the ball, turned in the area, and unleashed a powerful shot that left Zambia's goalkeeper Charles Kalumba with no chance, securing a 1-0 victory for Kenya.

Kenya and Zambia have a long history of competition, with their 35th meeting taking place recently. Historically, Zambia has dominated the matches between the two teams, securing 21 wins, while Kenya has managed six victories. However, Kenya won their most recent encounter, a friendly match in 2020, with a score of 2-1. This recent win showcases Kenya's potential to challenge Zambia's historical dominance.