Kenya aim to cap a stellar CHAN run as Benni McCarthy targets a win against Zambia to finish Group A on a high
Kenya’s head coach Benni McCarthy has urged his players to close the group stage with style, as Harambee Stars prepare to face Zambia in their final Group A clash at Kasarani Stadium on Sunday. Kenya booked a spot in the quarter-finals with a round to spare after a series of results on Friday left them in a strong position, while Morocco and DR Congo moved to six points apiece and eliminated Zambia and Angola from the tournament.
McCarthy stressed that Sunday’s match is about finishing the campaign on a high rather than just securing progression. “The targets we set at the start were ambitious, especially with many calling this the Group of Death. After three games we’ve climbed high and now we want to enjoy playing our football and finish the group stage on a strong note,” he said. “Tomorrow is a must-win for us. We’re not chasing qualification—already achieved. We want to prove that our opening performances weren’t by luck and that we belong among the best by beating the best, like we’ve shown against DR Congo, Angola, and Morocco.”
On squad selection, McCarthy indicated he would rotate when possible to give more players a chance, while acknowledging the challenge of managing minutes when two games run back-to-back and red cards can complicate rotations. “I have a lot of belief in the players and in their quality. I try to give everyone a chance to play, though it isn’t always easy, especially with suspensions,” he explained. “We rotate as much as we can, and players earn spots through their performances in training.”
History in Group A has been favorable for Kenya. They began with a 1-0 win over DR Congo, followed by a hard-earned 1-1 draw with Angola, and then a 1-0 upset of Morocco, which put them on seven points and atop the group. A draw against Zambia, combined with a Morocco win in the final round, would see Kenya finish on eight points, while Morocco could finish with nine. If DR Congo beat Morocco, they would also end on nine points. Zambia, by contrast, have endured their worst CHAN showing, losing all three group matches so far.
Crucially for Kenya, they hold the head-to-head tiebreakers over both Morocco and DR Congo, meaning their progression to the knockout stage is guaranteed regardless of the final results in Group A. A victory over Zambia would also seal top spot in the group and extend Kenya’s unbeaten run heading into the last eight.
What this means for Kenya is more than just a group-stage finish. It signals a growing strength in the country’s CHAN campaign, boosts confidence for the knockout rounds, and could energize home fans at Kasarani as Kenya look to translate early success into a deeper run in the tournament.
Summary: Kenya, having already qualified for the CHAN quarter-finals, can top Group A with a win against Zambia. Benni McCarthy has urged a strong finish, while rotation plans and the group’s head-to-head advantages keep progression in sight even as the final round of results unfolds.
Positive outlook: The current run underscores Kenya’s emergence in CHAN and reflects well on the development of football in the country, offering a hopeful path forward for Harambee Stars as they prepare for a potential deep run in the knockout stages.