McCarthy faces selection headache as Harambee Stars eye CHAN Semis

Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy 

Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy during their training session at Nyayo Stadium. PHOTO/POOL

Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy heads into Friday’s African Nations Championship (CHAN) quarterfinal against Madagascar with one major dilemma—almost his entire squad is fit and ready for selection.

McCarthy confirmed that striker Edward Omondi, who missed the clash against Zambia with a minor injury, is back to full fitness.

That leaves only Tusker midfielder Crisphine Erambo unavailable as he serves the second of his two-match suspension after a straight red card against Morocco.

Kenya reached the last eight in style, finishing top of the so-called “group of death.” Stars stunned two-time champions Morocco and DR Congo with identical 1-0 victories, battled to a 1-1 draw with Angola, and wrapped up the group stage with another 1-0 win over Zambia. Their tally of 10 points was one better than Morocco’s, sealing the top spot in Group A.

Rotation has been McCarthy’s hallmark so far. He has shuffled his lineups in every match, keeping opponents guessing. But with no room for mistakes in the knockout stages, his biggest challenge will be naming a starting XI strong enough to push Kenya into their first-ever CHAN semifinal.

“Our expectations are very high. As a team, if you don’t set goals and standards for yourself, you fall short,” McCarthy told reporters on Thursday.

“We’ve studied Madagascar closely, we know their strengths and weaknesses. It all depends on how well we prepare and how mentally ready we are.”

Defender Sylvester Owino is the only outfield player to feature in every minute of Kenya’s campaign so far, completing 360 minutes.

Goalkeeper Bryne Omondi has played three games before being rested against Zambia, while most outfield players have had at least two appearances. Only Shabana’s Austin Odongo and Brian Michira are yet to feature.

Madagascar, meanwhile, are no pushovers. The Bareas finished second in Group B with seven points, after wins against Burkina Faso and the Central African Republic, a draw with Mauritania, and a narrow defeat to Tanzania. Head coach Romuald Felix admitted Kenya’s passionate home support could tilt the balance.

“Kenya has had a full stadium for every game, and that makes it difficult for opponents. But we will play our best and fight for a place in the semifinals,” Felix said.

The spotlight will be on Kenya’s Austine Odhiambo and Ryan Ogam, both with two goals, while Madagascar will look to their mercurial goalkeper Ramandimbisoa Toldo, who has already bagged three consecutive man-of-the-match awards.

Kenya are tasting their first-ever CHAN quarterfinal, while Madagascar carry pedigree, having finished third in the last edition in Algeria with a 1-0 win over Niger.

The winner of Friday’s clash at Kasarani will meet either defending champions Senegal or co-hosts Uganda in the semifinals next week.