Harambee stars head coach, right, with part of his technical bench during a training session. PHOT/POOLHarambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy is keeping his focus on the future after Kenya’s exit from the African Nations Championship (CHAN) quarterfinals on Friday, August 22, 2025.
The Stars fell to Madagascar 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw stretched through 120 minutes at Kasarani Stadium.
Despite the heartbreak, McCarthy said he was proud of his players for defying expectations by advancing from the so-called “group of death” without losing a single match.
“In the first place, we were not meant to be here. When you top a group with Morocco, DRC, Angola and Zambia, you count your blessings. Unfortunately, the game we thought we could win, we fumbled,” McCarthy admitted.
The South African coach, who previously served as Manchester United’s assistant, described the penalty shootout as a “lottery” and insisted the Stars had given everything on the pitch.
“It was a 50-50 affair, but unfortunately Madagascar carried the day,” he said.
Looking ahead, McCarthy urged Kenyans to be patient as the team continues to rebuild. He expressed confidence in the country’s footballing talent, noting that nurturing and giving players time would be key to long-term success.
“There is a lot of talent in this country. Hopefully we will be able to nurture them and grow. The more players come to the national team, the more they will be able to express themselves and let the talent do the talking. Hopefully we get to win more matches and, as a country, move forward,” he said.
The Stars broke camp on Sunday, August 24, and are set to regroup this week ahead of back-to-back 2026 World Cup qualifiers at Kasarani. Kenya will host Gambia on Friday, September 5, before facing Seychelles on Tuesday, September 9.
However, the team is already mathematically out of contention, having collected six points from six matches in Group F.
African champions Ivory Coast lead the group with 16 points, followed closely by Gabon on 15, while Burundi sit third with 10. Kenya are fourth, with Gambia and Seychelles in fifth and sixth place on four and zero points, respectively.
McCarthy revealed that several locally-based players impressed during the CHAN campaign, tipping about 10 of them to join the foreign-based contingent when the Stars resume camp later this week.
