Kenyan Stars Seek Redemption vs Grenada, Ochieng Sidelined
Four losses in a row. That’s where Harambee Stars find themselves heading into Monday’s FIFA Series third-place playoff against Grenada in Kigali — and the pressure to finally get a result is real.
The latest blow came against Estonia on Friday. Kenya dominated possession — 59% of the ball — and still couldn’t win it. Ryan Ogam and Lawrence Okoth missed gilt-edged chances, the game ended 1-1, and Kenya went out 5-4 on penalties. Before that? An 8-0 hammering from Senegal, a 1-0 loss to Equatorial Guinea, a 3-0 World Cup qualifier defeat to Ivory Coast. The goals are simply not going in.
Job Ochieng won’t be part of the solution on Monday. The Real Sociedad winger picked up a hamstring injury against Estonia after 41 minutes and has already returned to Spain for treatment. Coach Benni McCarthy is expected to rotate heavily and hand game time to fringe players against Grenada, who lost 4-0 to Rwanda on Friday and arrive ranked 163rd in the world — 51 places below Kenya. “McCarthy has identified what needs to change,” Pulse Sports noted. This is a winnable game. Harambee Stars just have to show up.