McCarthy’s Tenure as Kenya’s Coach Commences with 3-3 Draw Against Gambia
Benni McCarthy’s debut as head coach of Kenya resulted in a dramatic 3-3 draw against Gambia in World Cup qualifiers. The match saw Kenya equalize late in stoppage time. Gabon leads Group F, while Benin tops Group C despite a draw with Zimbabwe. Sierra Leone and Mozambique also achieved significant victories.
On Thursday, former Manchester United assistant coach Benni McCarthy commenced his tenure as Kenya’s head coach with a thrilling 3-3 draw against Gambia in the World Cup qualifiers. The match began slowly, featuring a missed penalty by Gambia’s Musa Barrow, but transformed into a dramatic contest after halftime.
Gambia initially captured a two-goal lead, which they later diminished to a single goal advantage. However, Kenya’s William Wilson equalized deep into stoppage time by capitalizing on a defensive error. Barrow redeemed his earlier miss by scoring two goals, while Yankuba Minteh added another for Gambia. For Kenya, Michael Olunga scored a penalty, with Mohammed Bajaber also contributing to the scoreline at the National Stadium in Abidjan.
McCarthy, aiming to lead Kenya to their inaugural World Cup appearance, expressed optimism about his team’s potential to “surprise a lot of people” in the qualifiers. Furthermore, Gabon currently leads Group F with 12 points following a convincing 3-0 victory over Seychelles. Ivory Coast ranks second with 10 points and will face Burundi shortly.
In another match, Benin secured the lead in Group C despite relinquishing a two-goal advantage to draw 2-2 against Zimbabwe. Benin’s Steve Mounie and Dokou Dodo scored before Zimbabwe’s Marshall Munetsi and Knowledge Musona equalized. Benin now leads with eight points, while Rwanda and South Africa each have seven.
Rwanda achieved an impressive upset over South Africa, while Nigeria struggles under new management, drawing with Lesotho and losing to Benin. Nigeria faces a critical match against Rwanda on Friday.
In further qualifiers, Sierra Leone’s new head coach, Mohamed Kallon, enjoyed a triumphant debut, leading his team to a 3-1 victory over Guinea-Bissau. With this win, Sierra Leone sits second in Group A, trailing Egypt by two points.
Lastly, Mozambique claimed the top position in Group G following a 3-1 win over Uganda, driven by a brace from Pedro ‘Pepo’ Santos. Uganda’s goalkeeper, Ismail Watenga, had a challenging match, contributing to Mozambique’s success before being replaced at halftime. All mentioned matches occurred at neutral venues due to the absence of FIFA-approved stadiums in the teams’ home countries.
In conclusion, Benni McCarthy’s debut as Kenya’s head coach highlighted the potential for competitive spirit in the qualifiers, even amidst a challenging draw against Gambia. Other teams such as Benin, Rwanda, and Sierra Leone demonstrated resilience and determination in their ongoing campaigns. With fixtures intensifying, the pursuit for World Cup qualification remains fierce across the continent, as teams battle for supremacy in their respective groups.
Original Source: newscentral.africa
