Harambee Stars had a stunning performance during their opening match of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) by defeating the Democratic Republic of Congo 1-0 on home soil.
The match, held at a packed Nyayo National Stadium, saw Kenya grab all three points thanks to a first-half goal from midfielder Austin Odhiambo.
Odhiambo delivered the only goal of the game after a well-coordinated team build-up.
The goal send the home crowd into celebration.
Odhiambo’s first-half strike proved decisive in a tightly-contested Group A opener that saw the hosts overcome a nervy start and assert their place on the continental stage in front of an electric home crowd.
Kenya next face Angola on Thursday, while DR Congo will seek redemption against Morocco.
Despite DR Congo dominating early possession, the hosts remained disciplined and grew into the game.
The breakthrough came just before the break when Odhiambo latched onto a pass from David Sakwa in the 45+2 minute, coolly guiding a left-footed shot into the bottom corner beyond Brudel Efonge.
It was a goal that lifted the roof off the stadium and symbolised a changing of the guard—Kenya, making their CHAN finals debut, had taken the lead against one of the tournament’s most successful sides.
DR Congo, who had failed to score in the 2022 edition and were determined to rewrite the script under Otis Ngoma, pushed for an equaliser in the second half.
They dominated set-pieces and came close through headers from Jonathan Mokonzi and Kitambala, but Kenya’s defence held firm.
Goalkeeper Byrne Omondi made a crucial save in the 59th minute, tipping Heltone Kayembe’s powerful drive over the bar, while defenders Sylvester Owino and Alphonce Omija repelled a late barrage of Congolese corners.
Kenya’s head coach Benni McCarthy made a series of tactical substitutions to shore up the midfield and protect the lead, introducing the likes of Mike Kibwage and Marvin Nabwire to steady the team in the final 15 minutes.
The TotalEnergies CHAN is a biennial tournament exclusively reserved for players who compete in their country’s domestic leagues, offering a platform for emerging local talents to shine—and Kenya’s new generation did not disappoint.
