Harambee Stars evolve from underdogs to shining stars

Harambee Stars players and Morocco in action during CHAN 2024 tournament at Kasarani Stadium, Nairobi. [Stafford Ondego]

From the moment the 2024 African Nations Championship (Chan) draws were announced in Nairobi, on January 15, 2025, everything looked gloomy for Kenya's national football team, Harambee Stars.

Kenya had been written off even before kicking the ball. By then, Benni McCarthy had not been appointed as the coach. But guess what, there is some growing sense of belief within Harambee Stars squad as they are now just two matches away from reaching the final on their debut at this African showpiece.

As one of the draw assistants, many had 'blamed' former Harambee Stars midfielder and current FKF deputy president McDonald Mariga for putting the national team in a Group of Death that included two-time winners Morocco, DR Congo, Angola and Zambia.

The silence in Tsavo Ballroom, KICC - venue for draws - spoke volumes on that day. You could have heard a pin drop. By virtue of being debutants and lacking a strong domestic league compared to their opponents, Kenya were considered total outsiders, with no chance given to them.

"We are in a Group of Death, but I believe we still have a big chance because we have done well in the past against Morocco and Angola. Therefore, I think we will be ready before August. We need to capitalise on this postponement and prepare our team well," Mariga said then after conducting the draw.

Stars' preparations were then marred by late call-ups, injuries and withdrawal of key players, as well as the bungled trip to the Four-Nation Tournament in Arusha, Tanzania.

FKF Premier League golden boot winner Moses Shumah and his closest challenger Emmanuel Osoro left McCarthy in an awkward situation as they abruptly joined paid ranks with Zambian side Power Dynamos a few weeks before the 19-team tournament kicked off.

Then a week before the competition, another dependable player in Mohammed Bajaber was lured to Dar es Salaam by Tanzanian giants Simba SC to the disappointment of many Kenyan fans.

While tactically their exit disrupted the Bafana Bafana legend's plans, it gave an opportunity to the likes of Ryan Ogam, who had spent the better half of the second leg of the season in the treatment room, Marvin Nabwire, and Felix Oluoch to shine and turn Kasarani into a fortress.

And seven months since the draws were held, Harambee Stars have made the impossible possible. They have not only stunned giants Morocco and DR Congo but also topped Group A with an unbeaten run and consequently qualified for the knock-out stage of a major tournament for the first time in 38 years.

Kenya last featured in a medal bracket at the 1987 All Africa Games held at the iconic Kasarani, where they lost 1-0 to Egypt.

Despite playing with one man less against Morocco and Angola, Stars were phenomenal, showing character and grit to grind out results when it mattered most in front of their passionate home fans.

The peerless performance from the Abud Omar-captained side that has been somehow fuelled by McCarthy's tactical prowess, unity in the team, supporters' drive, and incentives from President William Ruto has made them become the talk of the tournament.

The tournament has already unearthed several players, including Suleiman Manzur, Ben Stanley and Ryan Ogam, while the likes of Bryne Omondi, Michael Kibwage, and Lewis Bundi have rediscovered their forms.

And this has come with its own blessings, as the players are not only swimming in millions, but the federation is also assured at least Sh58 million ($450,000) from CAF for reaching the last eight. Furthermore, their performance has so far unified the country.

It's now time to take a look at the new Kenyan heroes, who have changed the perception of the country's football as they prepare to battle with unpredictable Madagascar in the quarter-finals at Kasarani Stadium tomorrow at 5pm.