Kenya head coach Benni McCarthy has showered praise on his charges after securing a historical 1-0 win in their debut African Nations Championship (CHAN) campaign over two-time champions DR Congo in their Group A fixture on Sunday afternoon.
Speaking to the media after the tightly contested match at a sold-out Kasarani Stadium, the South African tactician lauded his players—many of whom were making their CHAN debuts—for rising to the occasion and delivering what he called a “massive” win.
“I’m proud of my team—many of them were stepping onto such a big stage for the first time. Beating one of the tournament favourites is massive for us,” McCarthy said.
“We were nervous at the start, but once the boys settled, they showed real bravery.”
One of the defining features of Kenya’s performance was McCarthy’s surprise decision to deploy centre-back Manzur Suleiman as a defensive midfielder—a move that proved key to disrupting DR Congo’s rhythm.
“I initially considered playing him at left-back based on what I saw in our friendlies,” McCarthy explained.
“But after analysing his attributes, I felt he was a perfect fit in midfield. He’s young, energetic, and brave—just what we needed to disrupt DR Congo’s game plan. He was one of our best players today, no doubt.”
Suleiman’s presence gave Kenya defensive solidity and freed up creative midfielders like Alpha Onyango and Austine Odhiambo to operate further forward.
“Alpha is very comfortable on the ball and can play clean, progressive passes. Austine is creative and can score. Having Manzur do the dirty work behind them was key,” McCarthy said.
“He did one hell of a job protecting our back four—that’s exactly what we needed.”
The game’s only goal came in first-half stoppage time. Midfielder Austine Odhiambo collected the ball just outside the box, weaved past two defenders, and calmly slotted past the onrushing Brudel Efonge in the DR Congo goal.
“That was the perfect time to score—just when they thought we’d head in level,” McCarthy noted.
Kenya’s lead sent the 60,000-capacity Kasarani crowd into raptures, as the home fans celebrated what would turn out to be a famous victory.
Despite the result, the Leopards of DR Congo had their moments, especially in the early stages.
They had a goal ruled out within the first quarter of an hour and came close again in the 75th minute, when Horso Muaku raced through on goal only to fire wide with only the keeper to beat.
Kenyan goalkeeper Byrne Omondi remained composed under pressure, and the Stars’ backline held firm through a tense seven minutes of stoppage time.
While Odhiambo grabbed the headlines with his goal, it was Alpha Onyango who was named Man of the Match for his tireless performance in midfield.
His ball distribution and defensive cover were critical to Kenya’s control of the game, especially in the second half.
McCarthy was quick to applaud Onyango’s impact and the team’s overall organisation.
“The boys executed the plan. Alpha was excellent—he made the midfield tick, and that’s why we were able to hold out.”
The win puts Kenya in a strong position ahead of their next Group A fixture against Angola on Thursday.
With three points already secured against one of the group’s favourites, the Harambee Stars are dreaming big in their first CHAN appearance.
McCarthy remains focused but optimistic.
“We’ve made a good start, but we have to stay grounded. There are tough games ahead. But if the boys keep playing like this, we can go far.”
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