KASARANI STADIUM, Nairobi, August 5th -Harambee Stars faced a major setback in their FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifying campaign after suffering a 3-1 loss to Gambia’s Scorpions at the Moi International Sports Centre in Kasarani, Nairobi.
The home side started brightly, with William Lenkupae, a forward for Finland’s Vaasan Palloseura FC making a strong run and turn. His low, powerful shot grazed just inches away from the goalpost after a well-placed inswinger from Emmanuel Osoro of Zambia’s Power Dynamos FC in the fourth minute.
In a fine display of offensive play, Osoro created a corner kick, leading to a clever header from the Stars’ forward that was saved by the Scorpion’s Skhendija goalkeeper Baboucar Gaye just two minutes later.
In the ninth minute, a tense moment arose when Stars’ goalie Byrne Omondi parried away a strike from Sherrif Sinyan of CFR Cluj, resulting in a corner kick.
This corner inflicted damage when Sinyan rose above the defenders to head in the first goal of the match in the 10th minute, silencing the packed crowd.
Kenya quickly sought to respond, but their attempt to equalise was overruled. During the match, an on-field altercation between Stars defender Aboud Omar and Gambia’s Ebrima Adams led to both players receiving yellow cards from Egyptian centre referee Mohamed Omar.
In the 20th minute, Stars’ captain and Al-Arabi striker Michael Olunga came close to levelling the score with a bouncing header, but Scorpion’s shot stopper made an excellent save.
The Scorpions maintained their momentum, with Brighton’s Yankubah Minteh extending their lead to 2-0 in the 28th minute, expertly tapping the ball into the far left corner past the advancing Omondi.
Former Gor Mahia coach Jonathan McKinstry’s side could have increased their lead in the 32nd minute, but Musa Barrow failed to convert a clear chance after receiving a well-placed pass from Minteh.
In the 38th minute, Gambia caught the Stars’ defence napping. Musa Barrow fired a powerful shot into the net after a beautifully curled pass from Minteh, making the score 3-0 before halftime.
In the second half, Stars’ coach Benni McCarthy responded by introducing Suleiman Manzur and Alpha Onyango to bolster the team’s efforts in seeking goals.
Kenya made several attempts to break through the Scorpions’ defence, but their efforts were consistently thwarted.
In the 65th minute, Stars made a strategic substitution, bringing on Wolfberger FC-bound Ryan Ogam to add firepower upfront alongside Olunga and Lenkupae.
Finally, in the 80th minute, Ogam managed to pull one back for the Stars, ending the match with a final score of 3-1.
Currently, Kenya occupies the fifth position in Group F, having previously won 5-0 away against Seychelles and drawn matches against Gambia (3-3), Burundi (1-1), and Ivory Coast (0-0) at home. The team has endured two losses, both to Gabon by a score of 2-1, including today’s 3-1 defeat to Gambia.
Harambee Stars’ next home fixture will be against Seychelles on Tuesday, September 9, at the same venue. They will conclude their campaign with matches in Burundi and the Ivory Coast.
As it stands, Gabon leads the group table with 18 points, followed by the Ivory Coast with 16 points.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be co-hosted by the US, Mexico, and Canada, taking place in 16 different cities between June 11th and July 19th.
