Aboud Omar has adressed his infamous clash with the referee during the side’s 1-0 loss to Zanzibar during the Mapinduzi Cup earlier this year which resulted in the match official punching him in the face.
Harambee Stars left-back Aboud Omar has broken his silence following the heated Mapinduzi Cup clash between Kenya and Zanzibar earlier this month at Pemba Islands, where tempers flared, and the defender was sent off in controversial circumstances.
The match, marked by hard tackles, contentious refereeing decisions, and boiling tempers, reached its boiling point in the 68th minute.
The most bizarre incident unfolded when Omar led the team in protesting a referee’s call against Harambee Stars after Gor Mahia midfielder Alphonce Omija was penalized for a foul just outside the box.
Ouma, who has been an ever-present fixture at the heart of Elfsborg’s midfield, was left out of the side as they beat Nice 1-0 amid heavy transfer interest from clubs in England, Sweden and Czech Republic.
According to match replays, the protest escalated as the referee appeared to lose his temper and allegedly punched Omar, who retaliated by grabbing the red card shown to him.
The incident caused a lengthy stoppage, with Omar taking over five minutes to leave the pitch. Kenya, now down to ten men, eventually succumbed to Zanzibar, who scored the winning goal in the 93rd minute.
The aftermath saw Omar face heavy criticism from fans on social media, with many condemning his actions during the match. In a recent interview with Tata Sports, the former Cercle Brugge defender defended his role, clarifying his intentions and offering an apology for his conduct.
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“First thing, most Kenyans did not even watch that game,” Omar said defiantly. “At the end of the day, the media will say what they want to say, which will force people to start having a go at others.”
However, Omar did admit to overstepping his bounds, particularly in grabbing the referee’s red card and any verbal exchanges that may have contributed to the melee.
“I want to apologize as the captain. During that scenario, I was not even involved; someone else had hit the referee. I was not the one. I took that card to protect the player, and the blame ended up stopping with me. As captain, I protected my player,” Omar explained.
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Aboud calls for home support for Harambee Stars at CHAN
Shifting focus to the future, Omar urged Kenyan fans to rally behind the team ahead of the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN), which will be hosted on home soil. He called for unity and less criticism to help the team succeed.
“Kenyans need to support us more and criticise us less,” Omar said. “CHAN is going to be hosted on home soil. It does not matter whether we have made a mistake, received red cards, or lost games. If they support us, we can win that tournament.”
Kenya faces a daunting task in CHAN’s Group A, which includes African heavyweights Morocco, DR Congo, Angola, Zambia, and Nigeria. Despite being drawn in what many are calling the “Group of Death,” Omar remains optimistic about the team’s chances.
“They say it is a group of death, but as players, we relish the chance to play these sides,” Omar said confidently. “If you even look, Kenya tends to perform better against the bigger countries but gets stunned by the smaller ones. We are okay, and we pray to God we will not suffer numerous injuries.”
With CHAN looming, Omar’s plea for support and his optimism about the tournament underline the importance of national unity as Harambee Stars prepare to compete against the continent’s best on home turf.
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