Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy has expressed praise for his team’s resilience in a post-match interview after they twice came from behind to secure a dramatic 3-3 draw against The Gambia in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier.
This was the first-ever meeting between the two nations. McCarthy, who had just one training session with the squad after arriving in Abidjan on Tuesday, has expressed satisfaction with the efforts from the players and, thus the result, though he admitted he had hoped for more.
“The draw does not help us or Gambia, but I will take it because we earned it against a team that has been together longer than us. We had only one training session before this game, and my players are still learning to play together. We showed great fighting spirit,” McCarthy said.
The South African went ahead to explain ;
“ This was a match both teams wanted to win badly. Not winning leaves me stressed and unhappy. However, for the neutral, it was an entertaining game. You don’t see many like this in FIFA World Cup qualifiers,”
The former Manchester United first-team coach described the first half as evenly contested but admitted his team struggled in the second period.
“In the first half, we had a chance to take the lead when Olunga missed a header in the ninth minute. After that, Gambia grew into the game and won a penalty, but our goalkeeper saved it. The second half was tougher; maybe the heat and altitude affected us. Still, I’m happy with our determination and fight,” McCarthy noted.
The South African also admitted Kenya was fortunate to be awarded a penalty.
“If that penalty was given against us, I would have been furious. But since we benefited from it, I’ll take it,” he said.
McCarthy, who had pledged to give young players a chance, singled out Bajaber for praise, describing his goal as “stunning.” He also hinted at squad changes for Kenya’s next match against Gabon.
“The players gave me their all, and I know some are fatigued. We need to manage their recovery, so I’ll introduce some changes for the Gabon match,” he said.
Kenya remains fourth in Group F with six points, while Gambia sits fifth with four points. Despite the standings, McCarthy remains optimistic.
“I know Ivory Coast and Gabon have pulled ahead, but anything can happen. They could lose to Gambia, and we can beat them as well,” he remarked.
