Harambee Stars assistant captain Abud Omar says Kenya must now shift focus to Guinea after being held to a 1-1 draw by Eritrea.
The Tusker FC defender captained Kenya at Nyayo Stadium on Saturday as Ryan Ogam’s late equaliser earned the Stars a point against Eritrea.
Omar thanked the supporters who turned up in large numbers but acknowledged that the result fell short of what the team wanted.
“It wasn’t the result we wanted or felt we deserved, but we will keep fighting until the very end,” Omar said.
Kenya dominated for long spells and created several opportunities but struggled to find the finishing touch, allowing Eritrea to hold on to their lead until the closing stages. Eritrea goalkeeper Malik Abdulrahman made several important saves as the hosts pressed for an equaliser.
Omar said the atmosphere created by the supporters was a major source of encouragement despite the disappointment.
“The crowd was absolutely amazing, and we are truly grateful for every single one of you who stood by us,” he said.
His comments came after a difficult week for the national team, whose preparations were disrupted by concerns over outstanding allowances before the squad resumed training. Kenya had only limited time together before facing Eritrea.
Omar, who operated at left-back, also stressed the importance of maintaining the bond between the team and supporters as the campaign moves to Guinea.
“Your support, energy, and belief mean everything to us,” the captain said.
Kenya’s attacking shortcomings were also highlighted by midfielder Duke Abuya, who felt the team performed reasonably well in midfield despite having only one training session together.
“Concerning the midfield battle today, considering we just had one training session, I really think we did better,” Abuya said.
The Yanga SC midfielder was involved in Kenya’s attempts to break down the Eritrean defence, but the visitors remained compact and frustrated the hosts for much of the contest.
Abuya said the problem was less about creating opportunities and more about converting them.
“But we were unlucky in the final third,” he said.
The draw leaves Kenya with one point from their opening Group D match, while Guinea also started their campaign with a defeat, losing 2-1 to South Africa in Johannesburg.
Kenya travel to Conakry for Thursday’s encounter at Stade du 28 Septembre.
Abuya believes the limited preparation contributed to some of Kenya’s shortcomings but insisted there is enough quality in the squad to respond in the next match.
“It is something that we will work on,” he said.
Ogam eventually rescued Kenya with his late finish after substitute Ben Stanley Omondi delivered the cross that allowed the striker to beat the Eritrean defence and restore parity.
With the Guinea fixture only days away, Abuya is confident the team can be considerably more productive in front of goal.
“I think coming into the next match we can score a lot of goals,” he said.
Omar, meanwhile, called for continued support from the fans as the Stars prepare for their first away assignment of the campaign.
“We will keep fighting until the very end,” he said.
The Stars will now shift focus to Conakry, where they will seek a stronger response after surrendering two points at home.
Kenya are already assured of their place in the tournament as co-hosts alongside Uganda and Tanzania.
