Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy has attributed the team’s impressive performance in their Group “A” of the 2024 African Nations Championship (Chan) to the deep sense of “trust” that they share among themselves in the squad.

Yesterday, the home boys capped their strong performance in the “Group of Death” with a 1-0 win over Zambia at the 48,000-seater Moi International Sports Centre (MISC) Kasarani in Nairobi.

Striker Ryan Ogam was crowned the man-of-the-match after his decisive strike in the 75th minute secured the crucial victory for Kenya.

Following the win, Kenya leads Group “A” with 10 points followed by two-time champions Morocco on nine points from the same number of matches.

Morocco thumped two-time champions, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) 3-1 in the pool’s other match held at the 18,000-seater Nyayo National Stadium. DR Congo finished third with six points followed by Angola on four points while Zambia are last with zero points.

In the quarter-finals stage scheduled for Friday, Kenya will face Madagascar at MISC Kasarani from 5pm.

On the same day at the 60,000-seater Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam, hosts Tanzania will face Morocco in the other quarter-finals match from 8pm. Tanzania topped Group “B” with 10 points, three more than second-placed Madagascar.

“We don’t fear anybody really,” said McCarthy after the match.

“I don’t know what Kenya was like before me. We trust each other, the players trust me a lot to guide them. So far it has worked quite well for us and I just hope they (Harambee Stars players) will continue to stay with the mentality that they have picked and we continue to win football matches and improve. Hopefully we will get to the destination where we want to be,” added the 47-year-old South African football legend.

He said that he is delighted that Kenya had booked a ticket to play the quarter-final match at home. McCarthy observed that Tanzania will have a taste of what Kenya went through in the “Group of Death” by facing Morocco.

“I am happy that we are staying in Kenya and that is very important,” said the former FC Porto and West Ham United coach.

“Tanzania will get their wish, they will feel what we experienced in the group of death. I want feedback after the game (against Morocco). They will know what we went through in the tournament so good luck to Tanzania,” he added. Had Kenya finished second in the pool, they would have traveled to Tanzania to face the hosts in the quarter-finals stage.

After receiving a weighty pass from substitute Boniface Muchiri, Ogam turned well inside the box to fire a low shot past Zambia’s goal keeper Charles Kalumba.

It was the second goal that the Tusker’s striker scored in the tournament as he was on target in Kenya’s 1-0 win over Morocco at the same venue on Sunday last week.

Following the win, each member of Kenya’s 42-man squad earned a Sh2.5 million reward from President William Ruto. Last Monday, Ruto promised every member of the team the money if they beat Zambia.

Previously, each member of the squad had received a total of Sh2.5 million following Kenya’s victories over DRC (1-0) and Morocco (1-0) and the draw against Angola (1-1).

McCarthy was elated to have made history with Harambee Stars by guiding the team to the knock-out stage of the competition on their debut.

In sealing a quarter-finals’ slot in the tournament, Kenya brought to an end a 38-year jinx of not reaching the knock-out stage of a major football competition.

Kenya had not reached the knock-out stage of a major football competition since the 1987 All-Africa Games in which Kenya clinched a silver medal after losing to Egypt 1-0 in the final at MISC, Kasarani.

“It does feel nice to be the first coach for Kenya national team to achieve what we have done,” said the coach.

“I hope that these are moments that they (Harambee Stars) will cherish for life and it will inspire them to want to achieve more because we still want to win Chan,” he added.

Heading into the match, the former Porto and West ham United forward

had declared the match as a “must-win” since they wanted to silence those who doubted their capabilities in the “Group of Death.”

With both Morocco and DRC being two-time Chan champions and ranked above Kenya globally, many had written off Harambee Stars in the pool.

However, the home boys, backed by thousands of enthusiastic fans have put a spirited performance to silence the naysayers.

Despite CAF reducing the fan attendance at the stadium to just 27,000, the ones present enthusiastically cheered Harambee Stars, keeping the atmosphere vibrant with songs, Mexican waves, and the tapping of the seats in unison.

A handful of Zambia also cheered their team passionately. To prevent crowd trouble at the match, security was heightened at all checkpoints, and around the stadiums.

Police were stationed roughly every 50 meters, some patrolling on horseback.

President Ruto and ODM leader Raila Odinga are among the dignitaries who attended the match where for the fourth straight time, McCarthy made a string of changes in his starting lineup.

Goalkeeper Farouk Shikalo replaced Bryne Odhiambo who played all Kenya’s three previous matches.

Talisman, attacking midfielder Austine Odhiambo also returned to the XI after missing the match against Morocco while captain Abud Omar also started the encounter.

Against Morocco, Omar came as a second-half substitute. Kenya would have won the match by a bigger margin but substitute striker Masoud Juma and midfielders Alpha Onyango and Nabwire were not lucky in their efforts.