FOOTBALL – TEN-MAN Kenya showed immense grit and resilience to hold Angola to a 1-1 draw in a dramatic Group A clash at the CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Nairobi last night.
Playing in front of a boisterous home crowd at the Moi International Sports Centre, the Harambee Stars were forced to play with a man down for over 70 minutes after Marvin Nabwire was sent off in the 21st minute.
But Austin Odhiambo’s coolly-taken penalty ensured Benni McCarthy’s side remained unbeaten in the tournament and top of the group with four points after two games.
Angola, who had lost their opener to Morocco, started brightly and took the lead in the seventh minute when Jo Paciencia slotted home a low shot after a well-worked move involving Beni Jetour.
The goal silenced the home fans momentarily and looked to set the tone for a dominant Angolan display.
But Kenya responded swiftly. Odhiambo won a penalty after a VAR check confirmed a foul by Mafuta in the box.
The Gor Mahia playmaker stepped up and confidently buried the spot-kick into the bottom left corner to bring the Harambee Stars level in the 12th minute – scoring his second goal of the tournament and further cementing his status as Kenya’s breakout star at CHAN 2024.
The match took a dramatic twist in the 21st minute when midfielder Nabwire, who had initially been shown a yellow card, saw his punishment upgraded to a red after a VAR review.
Kenya were reduced to 10 men, and the tactical approach from coach McCarthy quickly shifted to contain the possession-heavy Angolans.
From then on, it was a case of resolute defending, smart game management, and heroic goalkeeping from Byrne Omondi.
The Kenya goalkeeper made a series of vital saves to keep the hosts level, including denying Aguinaldo Matias and Jó Paciência from close range in the second half.
Despite being a man down, Kenya created a few opportunities of their own. Substitute Chrispine Erambo went close late on with a powerful drive, and Sylvester Owino narrowly missed the target after a well-delivered corner.
Angola thought they had snatched victory in stoppage time when Kaporal scored from a rebound, but the goal was ruled out by VAR for offside in a dramatic end to the game.
The final whistle was met with a mix of relief and celebration from the Kenyan bench, who knew just how significant the point was given the circumstances. The draw sees Kenya go top of Group A with four points from two matches, ahead of Morocco and DR Congo who both have three.
Angola’s draw leaves them with one point and needing a win in their final game against DR Congo to have any hopes of progressing.
For McCarthy, the result was further proof of his side’s growing belief and character.
Angola now face a must-win encounter against DR Congo in their final group game, while Kenya can book a historic quarter-final place with a result against Morocco.
Earlier, DR Congo reignited their campaign with a commanding 2-0 victory over Zambia in their second Group A match.
Goals from Ibrahim Matobo and substitute Horso Mwaku helped the Leopards bounce back from their opening day defeat to co-hosts Kenya and keep alive their hopes of reaching the knockout stages.
The win also marked the end of a five-match winless run for DR Congo at CHAN, while inflicting Zambia’s first-ever group stage defeat in the competition’s history - a remarkable statistic that stretched across 12 matches prior to kickoff.
For DR Congo, the win not only ends their five-game winless run at CHAN but also keeps them in the mix for a place in the quarter-finals.
After losing 1-0 to Kenya in their opening game - and going over 427 minutes without a goal in the competition - the Leopards showed resilience, tactical balance, and sharp finishing to pick up a crucial three points.
Coach Otis Ngoma had demanded a reaction from his players, and they delivered with maturity and urgency.
Standout performances from Ibrahim Matobo - who won the TotalEnergies Man of the Match award - Oscar Kabwit, Jephte Kitambala, and Brudel Efonge anchored the victory, while substitutes Horso Mwaku and Boaz Ngalamulume added fresh energy to see out the result.
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