Kenya Coach McCarthy Seeks More Time with Players Ahead of 2027 AFCON

Kenya Coach McCarthy seeks more time with players ahead

Benni McCarthy requests more time with Harambee Stars squad to improve performance and prepare for 2027 Africa Cup of Nations in East Africa.

Benni McCarthy requests additional time with Harambee Stars to prepare for 2027 Africa Cup of Nations...

Benni McCarthy, the coach of the Kenya national team, is asking for more time to work with the Harambee Stars players ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in East Africa. He made this request after Kenya's impressive 3-0 win over Grenada in the FIFA Series third-place playoff in Kigali, Rwanda.

McCarthy's team showed promise with goals from Austin Odhiambo, Ryan Ogam, and Zech Obiero securing the victory. This win marks McCarthy's seventh in 17 games as Kenya's head coach.

Kenya secured a convincing 3-0 win over Grenada, with goals from Austin Odhiambo, Ryan Ogam, and substitute Zech Obiero, after losing the series opener to Estonia on penalties. The Harambee Stars dominated Grenada, taking a 2-0 lead at halftime and sealing the win with a third goal late in the game.

Kenya's strong performance was marked by their control of the game, but they were unable to convert their dominance into more goals until late on. The win gives them a morale boost after the penalty shootout loss to Estonia.

McCarthy's Concern: Kenya's Finishing Letting Them Down

“It was a good game, we were able to convert the couple of chances we created, and deservedly won the game, but still I have a cloud hanging over my head,” McCarthy said.

“If I assess our game against Senegal, they made nine chances, and scored eight, today, we created 11 chances, clear cut chances, and we only managed three goals. For me that is a little bit of a worry.

“We are not able to finish the games off, even when we create chances like we did, and we don’t score them. Yeah, we should be happy with 3-0 but I think sometimes when you look at the other side of things, how do you create as many clear cut chances and you don’t turn them into goals?”

Senegal handed Kenya a historic 8-0 defeat in a friendly match in Antalya, Turkey on November 18, 2025. Sadio Mané scored a first-half hat-trick, while Nicolas Jackson added two goals to Senegal's tally. El Hadji Malick Diouf, Ibrahim Mbaye, and Cherif Ndiaye also scored for the Teranga Lions, who dominated the game. This was Benni McCarthy's worst defeat as Kenya's coach, and it's Kenya's fourth-biggest loss ever.

The former Manchester United assistant coach added: “You know the next team, you may not be as lucky as you were today. Like against Estonia, we also created enough chances, and we should have won the game, and we should have played in the final.

“I am happy for the boys, happy they were able to pick themselves up after losing on penalties (against Estonia), but we take that 3-0 win, and keep learning, and hopefully, we can improve and take positives from this match and we move forward.”

McCarthy Wants More Time with Harambee Stars Squad

McCarthy went further to request Football Kenya Federation (FKF) for enough time with the players. The South African legend said: “I really don’t have enough time to spend with the team. We need enough time to work on tactics, to avoid wasting chances, the way we did.

“We can work on our finishing with enough time. I think if I can get enough time with the team, it will work. I think CHAN 2024, we were able to be together for a month, that's why we were able to do well in the competition.

“Hopefully in the off-season, I will get to be with the players. It will help if we get more time because I will get to be with the players and understand their weaknesses.

“I think with the AFCON coming up, hopefully I can get more time with the team, that we can camp with the team for two or three weeks, that will be very nice.”

Kenya claims 3rd place in Group A

A strong finish, a proud moment, Kenya rises and secures the third spot with style!

Determination, grit, and heart carried them to the podium.

Congratulations to the Harambee Stars! 👏🏾🇰🇪#FIFASERIES2026 pic.twitter.com/0kxECac3SH

— Rwanda FA (@FERWAFA) March 30, 2026

Kenya's performance at the 2024 CHAN in East Africa was impressive, with the Harambee Stars topping Group A ahead of Morocco, DR Congo, Angola, and Zambia under Benni McCarthy's guidance. They accumulated 10 points from three wins and a draw, capturing the nation's imagination with their spirited displays.

However, their campaign ended in heartbreak in the quarterfinals against Madagascar. Kenya took the lead but conceded a late equalizer and lost on penalties, ending their CHAN run. Despite the exit, McCarthy's team showed promise, and their progress has raised hopes for future tournaments.