Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy has said his squad members are gradually adapting to his philosophy following two strong performances in Saturday and Tuesday’s international friendlies.
The Stars faced the North African minnows on two occasions. The first match served as a foundation for the Stars, where they displayed flashes of brilliance but ultimately fell short in the goal-scoring department.
The second showcased a remarkable turnaround, culminating in a 2-0 victory. McCarthy said the progression symbolises the growing synergy between his tactical approach and the players’ execution.
He said his insistence on elevating the players’ performance to match international standards is beginning to bear fruit, as evidenced by their dominance on Tuesday. The visibly elated South African coach expressed admiration for his charges, saying they put up a sterling show to give him his first win in four games.
“I’m very happy for the boys. I think they’ve had a very good week. They’ve had a good time together and gotten to know each other well. We are getting closer to our objective,” he said.
“The first game we played well, and we deserved to win. You could see how happy the players were from their facial expressions,” he added. “In the second game, I emphasised the need to create chances and score goals. The boys took their moments, and we were able to score the goals that eluded us in our past match.”
Kenya, ranked 111th in the world, dominated much of Tuesday’s match against Chad, ranked 177th, and had plenty of opportunities to score more.
McCarthy used the friendlies to give local players valuable minutes as they prepare for the postponed 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) set for August 2 to August 30.
McCarthy is well aware of the difficulties that still face him, even amid the triumph. During the second half of the match against Chad, the defence’s weaknesses were exposed, resulting in a brief mistake that allowed Chad to score.
Despite their best efforts, Kenya allowed Chad to gain ground in the game’s last quarter as the West Africans dominated the midfield and employed long-ball tactics to crush the Stars.
“These incidents serve as a reminder that, even though the Stars are making progress, they still need to be disciplined and consistent as they get ready for the 2024 African CHAN,” he said.
by TONY MBALLA
