NAIROBI — Bafana Bafana legend Benni McCarthy made a dream start to his African Nations Championship (CHAN) journey on Sunday as Kenya edged past two-time champions DR Congo 1-0 in their Group A opener at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.
In a tightly contested encounter, McCarthy’s Harambee Stars fielded a strong XI, including Alpha Onyango, Austine Odhiambo, and Masoud Juma. DR Congo thought they had taken the lead just five minutes in through Jephte Kitambala, but the goal was ruled out by VAR for a foul in the build-up.
Kenya nearly struck on the half-hour mark when David Sakwa’s fierce shot was smothered by goalkeeper Brudel Liyongo. The breakthrough finally came in first-half stoppage time, as Odhiambo shook off two defenders and slotted home into the far corner.
The Leopards came out stronger in the second half, with Heltone Kayembe going close to an equaliser, but goalkeeper Bryne Omondi stood firm. McCarthy’s men regained control late on and held on for a famous victory — Kenya’s first-ever CHAN win.
Watch the deciding goal
Global & local praise
The result drew praise from across the football world. Manchester United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir, shot-stopper Andre Onana, and former Red Devil Hannibal Mejbri reacted to McCarthy’s celebratory post on Instagram. McCarthy’s wife, Stacey Munro, simply wrote: “So proud of you.”
Kenya’s President William Ruto, in attendance alongside former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and CAF President Patrice Motsepe, promised each player one million shillings for the win.
“When you win football games, you get greatly rewarded. It was a great initiative from President Ruto… it can be life-changing for many of these players,” McCarthy said post-match. “We have to worry about winning football matches first, then afterwards, we can now count our money.”
What’s next for Kenya
The Harambee Stars face Angola next on Thursday evening — a crucial clash given Angola’s opening loss to Morocco. See upcoming matches here or book tickets for Nairobi fixtures here.
Fans can also track the full CHAN 2024 schedule and results to follow every twist of the tournament.
About CHAN 2024
The delayed 2024 African Nations Championship, featuring only domestic-league players, runs from 2–30 August 2025 across Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. This year’s edition features a record 19 teams in the group stage, with the top two from each group advancing to the quarter-finals. DR Congo and Morocco have each won the trophy twice, with Senegal the reigning champions.
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