The epic match saw several key Video Assistant Referee (VAR) interventions, including Odhiambo's penalty and a disallowed Angolan goal in the last minute of the game. McCarthy admitted he initially did not see the foul that led to the spot kick.
"It was two moments that I completely missed. I didn't see the penalty from Austin, because I was more furious about him wanting to take an extra touch inside the box because we work on these things, and the player clipped him. I missed it but VAR saw it. In my head I thought I should go apologise to the player. He got stamped on," McCarthy noted.
On Angola's disallowed goal, McCarthy praised the officiating, saying the player was completely offside, considering the striker was goalside when the cross was played.
"In the game, I thought it was a goal, but when the image came back, I saw it was offside. Whoever was on VAR was 100 per cent spot on with the correct decision. The Angolan player was blocking the defender, which means he was goalside, so he was offside. It would have been a wrong decision that would have cost us three points if the goal was given," he stated.
Despite the mental and physical toll, McCarthy is optimistic about his team's chances heading into their final group match against an experienced Morocco side on Sunday, August 17, at Kasarani.
"I was exhausted. I felt for the players. When you play such a game against a team that knows how to control and move, Angola kept the ball very well and a lot of us are not used to the occasion. So there was a lot of panic and a lot of players not being comfortable within themselves to know that you can't afford to make such mistakes at this level," he concluded.
Kenya is now in pole position (Group A) to reach the knockout stages, with four points after two games.