Benni McCarthy Critiques Harambee Stars Player Following Angola Stalemate
- Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy expressed his dissatisfaction with one of his players after their 1-1 draw against Angola.
- Kenya were on the back foot for the majority of the match following Marvin Nabwire's red card
- McCarthy won his first competitive match against DR Congo last Sunday, and they face Morocco this weekend
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Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy has expressed his frustration with one of his players following Kenya's 1-1 draw against Angola in the CHAN 2024.
Source: Twitter
Kenya produced an impressive defensive display to secure a point after Marvin Nabwire was sent off in the early stages of the first half.
Goalkeeper Byrne Omondi, who was partly to blame for Nabwire's red card, made important stops during Angola's onslaught.
How did 10-man Kenya stop Angola?
Kenya were forced to protect a draw after Marvin Nabwire was sent off in the 20th minute for denying an opponent a goal-scoring opportunity.
Pedro Gonçalves' side camped in Kenya's half for 70 minutes but failed to break down their defence.
Harambee Stars had a few chances to score on the counter, but poor decision-making and subpar finishing let them down.
Kenya are top of Group A with four points but must produce positive results against Morocco and Zambia.
Which player did Benni McCarthy criticise?
Benni McCarthy expressed frustration with Ben Stanley Omondi after he made a decision that the South African didn't like in the final stages of the match.
The incident in question occurred in the final stages of the match. The young Gor Mahia star picked up the ball in Kenya's defensive third and surged forward.
Source: Twitter
He was flanked by captain Abud Omar on his left and Ryan Ogam on his right. However, his attempted through ball to Ogam was intercepted.
In the blink of an eye, Angola launched an attack and capitalised on the misplaced pass to score. Fortunately for Ben Stanley, VAR intervened and ruled the goal out for offside.
What did Benni McCarthy say about Ben Stanley Omondi?
The South African coach was displeased with Ben Stanley's decision and addressed the issue during his press conference.
"They were in control of possession, but they never hurt us in any way so we knew the counterattack would be on. When we get the moment, Ben Stanley, again, you expect that he uses his intelligence. You go to the corner flag, you run the clock down. He ended up making the wrong decision," he said.
Ben Stanley also missed a huge chance against DR Congo on Sunday, August 3.
What did Ben Stanley Omondi say about his 'error'?
Ben Stanley was brought on in the 79th minute in place of Edward Omondi. He apologised for his misplaced pass after the game.
“First, I think I made a poor decision because I didn’t do what I needed to, but it’s a learning process. This is my first time playing in such a crowd and such a competition, and most of us are just learning. I think I picked my lessons today, and I will be better in the next game,” Ben Stanley Omondi said after the match.
It remains to be seen how McCarthy will use the youngster in the upcoming matches.
Did Benni McCarthy criticise his players?
In another story, TUKO.co.ke reported that Benni McCarthy criticised his players after the Angola draw.
The Bafana Bafana legend blasted his team for making costly mistakes in the game.
He also highlighted sluggish starts by his team in their first game against DR Congo.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
