Benni McCarthy began his tenure as Kenya’s head coach with a thrilling 3-3 draw against The Gambia in a World Cup qualifying Group F match at the Alassane Ouattara Ebimpé Olympic Stadium in Ivory Coast. The result left Kenya in fourth place with six points, while The Gambia remained in fifth with five points.
The match began with an early chance for The Gambia, as Musa Barrow found himself in a good position inside the box within the first five minutes. However, his effort was cleared by Daniel Anyembe, denying the hosts an early lead.
Kenya responded with attacking intent, with Michael Olunga getting two clear opportunities in quick succession within the opening 15 minutes. Unfortunately, he failed to capitalize, sending one header over the bar and blasting another shot high.
Harambee Stars increased their intensity, and Richard Odada attempted a long-range strike from a set-piece routine three minutes later, but Gambian goalkeeper Ebrima Jarju comfortably dealt with the shot.
In the 27th minute, The Gambia earned a penalty after Kenyan goalkeeper Ian Otieno fouled a Gambian forward inside the box. Musa Barrow stepped up to take the spot-kick, but Otieno redeemed himself with a crucial save, diving in the right direction to deny the forward.
McCarthy made one change at halftime, bringing on William Lenkupae to replace Ismael Gonzalez in midfield. The change added fresh energy to the Kenyan side, and they nearly took the lead in the 48th minute when Eric Ouma delivered a dangerous cross into the box. However, both Olunga and John Avire narrowly missed the ball, while Odada fired his effort over the bar at the back post.
The Gambia broke the deadlock in the 55th minute through Barrow, who made up for his missed penalty. After skillfully maneuvering past the Kenyan defense, he unleashed a powerful volley from outside the area, beating Otieno to make it 1-0.
McCarthy made a defensive switch at the half-hour mark, bringing on Johnstone Omurwa for Ronney Onyango. However, just a minute later, Kenya was punished for a defensive lapse when a mistake at the back gifted Yankuba Minteh possession inside the box. The Brighton & Hove Albion winger made no mistake, rifling his shot into the roof of the net to extend The Gambia’s lead to 2-0.
Seeking a response, McCarthy made further substitutions, introducing Jonah Ayunga and Mohamed Bajaber in attack while Eric Johana also made way for fresh legs. The changes quickly paid off when Ayunga was brought down inside the box, winning a penalty for Kenya. Olunga stepped up and confidently sent the goalkeeper the wrong way, reducing the deficit to 2-1.
Kenya found the equalizer in the 75th minute when Bajaber dribbled past defenders and expertly placed his shot beyond Jarju, leveling the score at 2-2.
The Gambia had a chance to retake the lead when Abubakary Barry found himself unmarked inside the box, but he squandered the opportunity, firing over the crossbar from close range. However, they eventually regained their advantage in the 84th minute when Barrow struck his second goal of the match.
Just when it seemed Kenya would leave empty-handed, Lenkupae salvaged a point with a dramatic late equalizer deep into added time, ensuring a 3-3 draw.
Kenya will now shift focus to their next qualifier against Gabon at Nyayo Stadium, where they will aim to secure a crucial victory to boost their World Cup qualification hopes.
