Resolute Harambee Stars end Ivory Coast’s perfect start in 2026 World Cup qualifiers
11th June 2024
Kenya managed to hold the reigning African champions to a barren draw.
- Ivory Coast had won all of the three previous games before the Kenyan match.
- The draw left Kenya in position three on 5 points.
- Ivory Coast are first on 10 points.
The men’s national football team, Harambee Stars, showed
they are no pushovers as they ended Ivory Coast’s perfect start to the 2026
FIFA World Cup qualifiers after holding the reigning African champions to a barren
draw in their fourth Group F match played at the Bingu National Stadium in
Lilongwe, Malawi.
Coming into the exciting encounter, Kenya were seeking only their second win in Group F but had a herculean task against an Ivory Coast side that had won all three of their opening matches, were unbeaten in their last seven games in all competitions and were 69 places above them in the FIFA rankings.
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However, that did not matter as Kenya’s tactic of sitting
behind and hitting on the counter proved to be just enough to force a share of
the spoils.
Kenya however had two golden opportunities to stun the
Ivorians but a lack of clinicality when needed the most with the final ball saw
the team fail to get all the three points up for grabs.
The clearest opportunity fell to Timothy Ouma on the 71st
minute when Michael Olunga played him through on goal after Kenya broke away in
one of their counterattacks.
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The Swedish-based midfielder made a clean first touch that
put him through on goal but he tried a clever touch that drove the ball away
from him and into the goalkeeper who blocked the attempt only for Olunga’s rebound
to be cleared off the line.
Olunga then had another chance moments later when Duke Abuya’s
pass put him on goal but his shot was too feeble as the goalkeeper managed to
smother his effort.
The Ivorians then had the clearest chance to bury the game late on but French-based Oumar Diakite saw his effort cannon off the crossbar as the game ended with a share of the spoils.