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Harambee Stars 1-1 Eritrea: Ogam’s late goal saves a point at Nyayo. Guinea next on Thursday.
Harambee Stars drew 1-1 with Eritrea at Nyayo National Stadium on Saturday, 26 September, in their first game of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
How it went
Kenya had the better of the early chances, with Job Ochieng, Ryan Rabok and Ryan Ogam all going close. Then, in the 36th minute, a mistake by defender Manzur Okwaro let Nahom Girmai put Eritrea ahead.
Kenya pushed for the rest of the game. The Eritrean goalkeeper made several saves before Ogam scored in the 85th minute, after substitute Ben Stanley Omondi got down the flank.
Captain Michael Olunga did not play. Scans found stiffness and strains, according to the Eastleigh Voice.
A hard week before the game
The build-up was disrupted by the players' go-slow over unpaid allowances. Coach Benni McCarthy said limited training time hurt preparations, and that the team needs better organisation and sharper finishing. He kept faith in Okwaro despite the error, TV47 reports.
Eritrea have not beaten Kenya in a competitive game since 2019, and the draw kept it that way.
What is next
Kenya play Guinea in Conakry on Thursday, 1 October.
In the other Group D game, South Africa beat Guinea 2-1.
Kenya are already at the 2027 finals as co-hosts with Uganda and Tanzania, so these games are about form, not qualification.
Sources: Eastleigh Voice, Citizen Digital, TV47.
That was a Kibra News Network report, read by an A I voice.
Harambee Stars drew 1-1 with Eritrea at Nyayo National Stadium on Saturday, 26 September, in their first game of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
How it went
Kenya had the better of the early chances, with Job Ochieng, Ryan Rabok and Ryan Ogam all going close. Then, in the 36th minute, a mistake by defender Manzur Okwaro let Nahom Girmai put Eritrea ahead.
Kenya pushed for the rest of the game. The Eritrean goalkeeper made several saves before Ogam scored in the 85th minute, after substitute Ben Stanley Omondi got down the flank.
Captain Michael Olunga did not play. Scans found stiffness and strains, according to the Eastleigh Voice.
A hard week before the game
The build-up was disrupted by the players’ go-slow over unpaid allowances. Coach Benni McCarthy said limited training time hurt preparations, and that the team needs better organisation and sharper finishing. He kept faith in Okwaro despite the error, TV47 reports.
Eritrea have not beaten Kenya in a competitive game since 2019, and the draw kept it that way.
What is next
Kenya play Guinea in Conakry on Thursday, 1 October.
In the other Group D game, South Africa beat Guinea 2-1.
Kenya are already at the 2027 finals as co-hosts with Uganda and Tanzania, so these games are about form, not qualification.
KNN Newsroom is the staff byline for stories written, rewritten and edited at the Kibra News Network desk. Where a story credits an outside outlet, the original source is linked at the foot of the piece.
