Kenya eyes historic semi-final spot

Harambee Stars' Ryan Ogam celebrates his goal against Zambia during CHAN 2024 tournament at Kasarani Stadium, Nairobi. [Stafford Ondego, Standard] Harambee Stars will be out to continue with their fairytale run at the 2024 African Nations Championship (Chan) when they face Madagascar Friday at Kasarani Stadium from 5pm. The Stars, making their debut in the continental tournament, have impressed so far by topping Group A. Kenya defeated two-time champions DR Congo 1-0, stunned Morocco with the same score line, shared points in a 1-1 draw with Angola, and closed their group stage campaign with a 1-0 victory over Zambia. Those results have sparked belief that the team can go all the way. Backed by thousands of passionate fans filling the 46,000-seater Kasarani Stadium and several fan zones across the country, the Harambee Stars have grown into one of the standout sides of the competition. President William Ruto's pledge of Sh1 million per player for each win has boosted the team's morale. Kenya's resilience has also been a talking point. Twice in the group stage - against Morocco and Angola - the Stars were reduced to 10 men but still avoided defeat, underlining their fighting spirit and discipline. Ahead of the encounter, Kenya will take encouragement from their head-to-head record against Madagascar. Out of 10 previous meetings, Kenya has won five, drawn twice, and lost three times. Their most recent encounter came in 2019 in an international friendly, where former captain Victor Wanyama scored a second-half penalty to secure a 1-0 win. A repeat of that result today would put Kenya into the semifinals of Chan for the first time. Fifa rankings also appear to give Kenya the upper hand. Harambee Stars are currently ranked 109th globally, while Madagascar sit at 115th. Although rankings may not always reflect current form, they suggest Kenya carry a slight advantage going into the game. The challenge for head coach Benni McCarthy's men will be to turn those numbers into reality on the pitch. However, Madagascar cannot be underestimated. The Barea have shown grit and determination to make it this far, shaking off a difficult start in Group B. After drawing 0-0 with Mauritania and suffering a 2-1 loss to co-hosts Tanzania, many thought their campaign was over. But they roared back to life with a commanding 2-0 win over the Central African Republic before edging Burkina Faso 2-1 in a tense decider that sealed their place in the last eight. Finishing second in their group with seven points, just behind leaders Tanzania, Madagascar have proved that they are capable of rising to the occasion under pressure. This will also be their second consecutive appearance in the knockout stage of Chan, underlining their growth in African football. The clash promises to be a battle of determination and mental strength as much as skill. Kenya will lean on home support, defensive solidity, and their clinical edge up front, while Madagascar will count on their resilience witnessed during the preliminaries. For the Harambee Stars, victory would mean more than just a semifinal ticket. It would keep alive the dream of lifting the Chan trophy in their debut tournament and possibly setting up a much-anticipated East African derby later in the competition. Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy asked his charges to be clinical, calling for total concentration throughout the game. "We need to be good at the back against Madagascar who are no easy opponents. Our attack must be clinical. We need to take our chances early in the game, opportunities that if we take advantage of, will enable us to control the game," McCarthy said on Thursday.

Kenya eyes historic semi-final spot

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Kenya eyes historic semi-final spot

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