More Tedious Than Watching Paint Dry: Harambee Stars Held to Goalless Draw by Chad
What is worse than waiting for paint to dry? If you’ve ever wondered the same, perhaps the answer is a 6 pm kickoff in Marrakesh. Kenya was held to a disappointing goalless draw by Chad at Stade de Marrakech in a match where the Harambee Stars failed to take their chances. Despite dominating most parts of the game, the team could not break down a determined Chad defence.
With captain Michael Olunga absent, Brian Mandela took over the armband. Head coach Bennie McCarthy fielded a balanced side, mixing locally based players with those who play abroad. Kenya started brightly and created the first clear chance in the sixth minute.
FKF Premier League top scorer Moses Shummah of Kakamega Homeboyz was notably lively yet ultimately wasteful, failing to convert opportunities despite finding himself in good positions.
Shummah during Harambee Stars Match vs Chad
William Lenkupae also had two big chances to score. The best came in the 30th minute, after Ulinzi Stars' captain, Boniface Muchiri, made a strong run down the left and squared the ball to him. However, the forward, playing just behind the striker, shot wide from close range.
Shummah had another attempt in the 39th minute after a neat exchange with Muchiri, but again failed to hit the target. Kenya continued to push forward and felt they deserved a free kick late in the half when Alphonce Omija sent a long ball into Lenkupae, who was pulled back by Ngouyamsa Nounchili while through on goal. The referee ignored the calls, and the teams went into the break level.
In the second half, McCarthy brought in Austine Odhiambo for Brian Musa in a bid to unlock the Chad backline. Odhiambo added creativity in midfield, but the Chad defence remained solid, sitting deep and relying on counterattacks.
More changes followed as Adam Wilson and Lenkupae made way for Ben Stanley Omondi and David Sakwa, who made his debut for the national team. Later, Moses Shummah and Boniface Muchiri were replaced by James Kinyanjui and Emmanuel Osoro in the 74th minute. The fresh legs were aimed at stretching the tired Chad defenders.
Chad almost turned the game on its head in the 79th minute when substitute Harun Shuma made a powerful run into the box and went down under pressure from Mandela. The referee was not convinced and awarded a goal kick.
Kenya had several free kicks in dangerous areas but failed to capitalise on them. In the final minute of the nine minutes of added time, Chad nearly stole the win. A loose ball in midfield was picked up and played through to Shuma, who was almost in on goal, but Mandela made a timely intervention to keep the score level.
It was a bleak afternoon for the Kenyan men’s side. If watching paint dry is boring, Kenyans may have found themselves watching the grass grow.
Chad left the happier side after holding out for a point. Attention now turns to the second meeting between the two sides at the same venue in three days. Kenya will be under pressure to deliver a better result.
Feature Image Credit: Harambee Stars
