Burundi's 'Dangerous Play' Sparks Fury from Benni McCarthy After Kenya's 1-0 Win

Harambee Stars Coach condemns Burundi's physical approach in World Cup Qualifier

Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy slams Burundi's 'anti-football' tactics after 1-0 win in World Cup qualifier.

The match's only goal came in the 73rd minute when substitute Ryan Ogam scored for Kenya...

Kenya's national team coach, Benni McCarthy, has slammed Burundi for their brutal tactics during the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying match, dubbed the 'East African derby'. Despite securing a 1-0 win, McCarthy expressed his outrage at Burundi's players, who he claimed tried to injure Harambee Stars players.

The match took a dramatic turn when goalkeeper Brian Bwire suffered an injury while contesting a high ball, forcing McCarthy to bring on Bryne Omondi as a substitute. Despite the setback, Harambee Stars managed to hold on for a narrow 1-0 victory, with Ryan Ogam scoring the decisive goal in the 73rd minute.

The match's only goal came in the 73rd minute when substitute Ryan Ogam scored for Kenya. Ogam, who replaced Duke Abuya, received a pass from Michael Olunga and skillfully dribbled past two defenders before curling a precise shot into the top corner, beating goalkeeper Jonathan Nahimana.

Benni McCarthy's Scathing Critique

“Burundi wanted to break my players' legs,” Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy fumed, condemning the Swallows' brutal tactics and the pitch conditions that hindered his team's performance. McCarthy's harsh words underscore the intensity and physicality that defined the match, with Burundi's approach drawing comparisons to “anti-football.”

“It was a very tough match, very tough, first because of the conditions, for us we are not used to playing on such a pitch, a surface like this, so from the beginning it made it really hard for us to play the way we wanted to play,” said McCarthy after the game.

“The situation made it very tough for us, because my players couldn’t play to the rhythm that I know we can play, and again in the first minutes when you lose your goalkeeper, who suffered a five inch cut above his eye, affected us.

“For me it was very dangerous, because as a striker you go for it, but if you see you are not going to win the ball, why put your foot there when you see the goalkeeper somewhere?”

He continued: “Losing the keeper became even extra tough, because my players started to play cautiously, they didn’t want to get injured, so it looks Burundi, yeah, they were very physical, they got away with a lot of things, but in normal circumstances, if we had better conditions, better surface, then we could have enjoyed better football.”

He added: “In such a situation, I tell my players also to be physical, because that was not real football, I know we want to win, they want to win, but to do a performance like they did, like wanting to break players’ legs, I didn’t come here to Burundi to receive this kind of football.”

FT

Burundi 0-1 Kenya

Onto the next one 🆚 Ivory Coast! #HarambeeStars pic.twitter.com/zfHbxYo7lC

— Harambee Stars (@Harambee__Stars) October 9, 2025

McCarthy Hails Harambee Stars' Gritty Display

“Kenya showed character and determination,” Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy said, praising his players for their gritty display despite the challenging conditions.

“We all know they (Burundi) are a very good team, they have good players, and I wanted them to play a fair game. I am super proud of my players for the performance that they gave in almost impossible conditions,” explained McCarthy.

“We showed character, we showed determination, we showed that we are a very good footballing nation, and we are a country, who respect our hosts because my players could have been much worse than what Burundi did, but we didn’t, we respect them, we didn’t receive any respect because for me that was not football.”

McCarthy's Reaction:

“Justice was served,” Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy said, reflecting on the win. “I think the victory was fantastic, very fantastic.”

Olunga's Insights:

Lead striker Michael Olunga agreed with McCarthy's assessment, noting that Burundi came into the match with a physical approach. However, Olunga credited Kenya's success to sticking to their game plan and avoiding Burundi's attempts to get them involved in a rough game.

“It was a very difficult game to play especially under the conditions, the pitch, and the temperatures of course, but look, our team tried to contain Burundi as much as possible, and we knew it was going to be a very physical game, because I believe that was there tactics,” said Olunga.

“Yes physicality is allowed in football but not aggressive physicality, every challenge they played to the referee, everything, every loose ball they wanted, so it wasn’t a game to enjoy, and for us we are happy with the three points.”

Kenya's final World Cup qualifier will be against reigning African champions Ivory Coast on Tuesday, October 14, at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium. Ivory Coast is currently leading Group F with 20 points from eight games, one point ahead of Gabon. The match is scheduled to kick off at 8 PM WAT. Kenya, with nine points, is third in the group and will be looking to secure a positive result against the Ivory Coast, who need a win to guarantee their spot in the World Cup.