CHAN 2024: Angola Coach Lashes out at Harambee Stars Following Stalemate in Kasarani
- Angola coach Pedro Gonçalves was not happy with how Harambee Stars players carried themselves in their draw at CHAN 2024
- The southern African country failed to beat Kenya, which played most of the match with ten men after a red card
- The Palancas Negras need to win their remaining Group A matches against DR Congo and Zambia to have a chance of progressing to the quarter-final
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Angola's coach, Pedro Gonçalves, criticised the Harambee Stars players after their thrilling 1-1 draw at Kasarani in the CHAN 2024.
Source: Getty Images
Angola's hopes of securing their first CHAN 2024 win were dashed by a frustrating draw, despite dominating possession after the hosts were reduced to 10 men.
The Palancas Negras suffered a 2-0 defeat to Morocco in their opening Group A match and entered Thursday’s game determined to secure all three points to strengthen their chances of advancing to the quarter-finals.
How did Harambee Stars hold Angola?
Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy had warned about Angola's possession-heavy style in his pre-match press conference, and it was evident from the very first minute.
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Cheered on by tens of thousands of fans, the hosts fell behind in the 7th minute, and it seemed like a long night awaited them. However, they quickly responded.
Austin Odhiambo was fouled inside the box, and after a brief VAR review, Kenya was awarded a penalty. He converted it, sparking joy among the crowd.
However, in the 21st minute, Kenya was reduced to 10 men when Marvin Nabwire was sent off.
After fouling an opposition player, he received a yellow card, which was later upgraded to a red following a VAR review.
For the final 70 minutes, McCarthy’s team defended valiantly to secure a crucial point. Angola thought they had scored a last-minute winner, but VAR ruled it out for offside.
Kenya now leads the group with four points after four games and will face Morocco at the same venue on Sunday.
What did Angola coach say about Kenya?
Angola must now defeat Zambia and DR Congo in their final two matches to have a chance of progressing to the quarter-finals.
Their coach, Pedro Gonçalves, was not pleased with the tactics employed by the Harambee Stars players during the game.
"You will say Kenya defended a lot, but one thing I would like to say is they were wasting time, something that rules, unfortunately, still allow and you saw when the player [Marvin Nabwire] got a red card, the goalkeeper [Byrne Omondi] just went down," Angola coach Pedro Gonçalves said reporters after the game. "We were brave, we played as a team, we tried everything."
Source: Twitter
“The atmosphere was very tough, as you know Kenya was playing at home. Unfortunately, we didn’t win the match, but we will keep working so that we can win the next one,” Angolan midfielder Gilberto said.
What next for Kenya and Angola?
Harambee Stars will face Morocco on August 10 and then have a full week to prepare for their match against Zambia on August 17.
Angola will play Zambia on Sunday, and then conclude their group with a clash against DR Congo on August 14.
The southern African side desperately need a win in their final two matches.
Benni McCarthy compares himself to Angola coach
Speaking before the game, McCarthy was asked if he could stay in the same national team position for almost ten years, like his counterpart, Goncalves.
Goncalves first arrived in Angola in 2017 and started with the youth teams before he eventually became the national team coach.
McCarthy, who was only appointed to his Kenya role in March, admitted that he couldn't stay for almost 10 years. The South African revealed that he had other aspirations in club football.
Harambee Stars players kiss VAR booth
In a related story, TUKO.co.ke reported that Harambee Stars players were spotted kissing the VAR booth after their draw against Angola.
After the match, the players took a victory lap around the stadium, thanking the fans who had come out to support them.
Led by captain Abud Omar, they kissed the booth perhaps for cancelling Angola's late goal.
Martin Moses, head of sports, contributed to this article by adding McCarthy's thoughts about Goncalves.
Proofreading by Asher Omondi, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
