Here is everything you need to know about the tough decisions that Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy must consider to keep slim World Cup qualification hopes alive.
The final whistle at the Nyayo Stadium on Sunday felt like the world was crumbling for Harambee Stars.
The players looked crestfallen but embraced each other as a sign of sportsmanship. Fans left the 30,000-seater capacity stadium dejected after watching Harambee Stars lose against a tactical Gabon side in the World Cup qualifier.
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The matchday six clash was vital for the Benni McCarthy’s charges since a win would have taken Kenya to nine points, three behind Gabon before they won.
However Benni McCarthy was handed his first defeat in two matches. Although Harambee Stars still have a mathematical chance of qualifying for the World Cup for the first time-ever by virtue of winning their remaining four matches and hope that other results go in their favour, it looks a tall order at this point. Pulse Sports brings you the key fixes Harambee Stars coach must make to keep the slim World Cup hopes alive.
1. Fix defence
McCarthy paired Brian Mandela and Daniel Anyembe at the heart of the defence against The Gambia and the experiment flopped. Against Gabon, Johnstone Omurwa started alongside Anyembe. Although the pair looked assured in possession, they were intimidated when Gabon attacked and defensive lapse in concentration further painted a gloomy picture of the herculean task awaiting Benni McCarthy.
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Eric Marcelo is an asset going forward but his defensive inadequacies reared its ugly face in the last two matches. The South African needs to have Joseph Okumu and Collins Shichenje available for the next round of qualifiers. The former offers command and leadership that was absent at the Nyayo Stadium.
2. Solve Harambee Stars’ Striking woes
The overreliance on captain Michael Olunga for goals has proved catastrophic. The Al Duhail striker might have scored in both matches but was guilty of missing some clear-cut chances.
The former Girona marksman, who is four goals away from becoming Kenya’s all-time top-scorer, needs help especially from attacking midielders. Even though William Lenkupae, Mohammed Bajaber and Jonnah Ayunga have shown what they are capable of given chance, McCarthy needs to rejig his attack now that Kenya will be at home in September when they will host Gambia and Seychelles in the next World Cup qualifiers.
3. Freshen up midfield
Perhaps the biggest undoing for Harambee Stars is lack of steel and creativity in the middle of the pack. Kenya lacks a typical No. 8 or box-to-box midfielder if the last two performances is any barometer. Athony Okumu and Richard Odada are good but not an ideal partnership. Stars lack a ball carrier in midfield who can curve open defences when opportunities present themselves.
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Harambee Stars had a much-improved performance in their 2-1 loss to Gabon at Nyayo Stadium on Sunday and here is how the players performed.
Amidfielder who keeps things ticking by driving with the ball forward as well as execute defensive duties. Harambee Stars would have easily beaten Gabon if they had a midfield magician because they had a lot of possesion, especially in the second half, that but could not make it count.
4. Identical lineup
While it is time for McCarthy and his technical team to reflect and come up with solutions that will turn Kenya into a more competitive side, he needs to mold a team in his vision. This means he needs to have a settled starting XI.
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It was about trial and error against the Gambia and Gabon considering that McCarthy had just a week of training with the local-based players. With five months to assess his players at club level before the next round of qualirfiers, McCarthy seems to have an idea of what his starting 11 looks like and he needs to work on it to strike a balance in all the three departments.
5. Develop an impact bench
Good teams always have impact players coming off the bench and get the job done. Benni McCarthy has shown that he is not afraid to make changes but now he needs to have a strong bench that is capable of unlocking even the most stubborn of defences.
A bench full of creativty is needed since he has shown that he wants to play attacking brand of football. McCarthy needs to introduce more young players into the team as seen by what the likes of Bajaber and Lenkupae can do given chance.
