Harambee Stars go down in Guinea Bissau
Harambee stars narrow hopes for qualifying for the next edition of the Africa cup of nations dimmed further when they lost 0-1 to Guinea Bissau.
Additional reporting from the Star
The host’s lone goal was scored by Idrissa Camara in the 18th minute.
Guinea dominated the early minutes of the match putting stars on the back foot, before settling in the game.
Eric Johanna’s run in the right wing, was stopped by Agostinho Soares before he pulled the trigger after being put through by captain Victor Wanyama.
The hosts replied almost immediately with Jose Mendes trying an acrobatic kick that never tested goalkeeper Arnold Origi .
The first quarter saw the home side finish stronger urged by large Estadio 24 Setembro stadium crowd that enjoyed every moment.
David Owino was called upon to cover clumsy Musa Mohamed who looked uncomfortable at right back . It never took long before the hosts capitalized on our mistakes with Idrissa Camara heading home in the 18th minute after Musa failed to deal with a cross from the right,leaving Origi helpless. After falling behind stars could have restored parity almost immediately but Clifton Miheso failed trouble Jonas Mendes in goal from a Eric Johanna cross.
on check by the Guineans defence and was starved the ball for the better part of the half.
Captain Wanyama showed no signs of fatigue despite arriving only hours to kick off as he bulldozed the midfield in to ensure a see saw affair in midfield.
Okumbi made changes in the second half with Jesse Were coming in place of Eric Johanna, before off color Patilla Omoto who was a surprise starter made way for Antony Akumu the double change saw Kenya win win the midfield battle, but the hosts defense and time wasting tactics’ ensured their keeper was a spectator.
Kenya threw everything upfront with the tightly marked Olunga switching to the right wing leaving Were as the lone striker upfront.
Miheso was pulled off for Ochieng Ovella Ovella whose runs caused several nervy moments but still could not unlock the hosts’s defence.
David Owino and James Situma were cautioned as stars surged forward to salvage the a point but.
Jonas Mendes’ save from the tireless Owino’s shot summed up Kenya’s day with the clock winding up. The result leaves Kenya at the bottom of group E with 1 point from 3, while while Guinea Bissau moves to third
They lost to a team that ranks 44 places behind us. That was the best squad ever fielded most recently. More questions erupt still as to why we can’t win matches in africa. The loss, though narrow, should be revenged in second leg encounter.
We had very Average players in harambee stars squad that was fielded today,Guinea Bissau with their low ranking had Mendez and Suarez who are technically very gifted and gave them advantage weneva they possessed the ball moving forward.That is the reason we kept asking why drop Kahata,Gattuso and exclude Paul Were who could have tilted the favour for us?Average players never win continental matches…Back to the drawing board for Afcon 2019,This one us Over
Going no where.
Comrades I am not surprised.Musa was fielded as a full back and Situma as a left back.Omoto is so good that he was given a starting berth ahead of Akumu.Ovienna Ochieng came on at the expense of the more seasoned King’atua.Remember both Omoto play Mwendwa’s pet club,Kariobangi sherks.It is also worth noting that when Situma was fielded as a left back,Dennis Odhiambo,a natural left back was warming the bench.In fact there was no left footed player in that squad.So left side duties were given to right footed players.My take is that fielding was pathetic.It also appear to me that Gor and Leopard’s players will not be regulars in Okumbi’s sides.While I admire Omoto and Oviel’s development,I need to be convinced that they are better than Kahata.Hapo tumechezewa.Political patronage is back and Mwendwa’s club stars must play for Harambee stars.After all mta do?
Guys I echo your sentiments that there was poor fielding.
If I was Okumbi, the back four could have been Cheche, Calabar, Edwin Wafula and Denis Odhiambo.
Remember when we played against Zambia here in Nairobi, just like it happened yesterday, the defensive blunder still came from our own son Musa Mohammed. He may need time to be nurtured.
These Kariobangi Sharks players cannot be used at the expense of the very experienced and talented players. Okumbi may fail from the word go if he continues like that. Even passes were pathetic in first half; second half we played well but I wondered how many serious shots on target we made.
What I saw;
Antony Akumu – Probably the most improved player in the Kenya squad.
Calabar – Good player but misguided. Clearly shows that the coach has done nothing to enhance such a player. Poor passing was very visible, resorted to unnecessary displays.
Olunga – Good player but no one to feed him. Like having a good rifle you do not know how to use. This really put the qualification of the coaches in question.
Were – same as Olunga
Miheso – Good player but his attempts clearly showed that this team was technically wanting.
Origi – was the goalkeeper so he can go scot free.
The rest of the so called players were in a garbage soccer zone. It is hard to justify why they were ever chosen. But with a coach like Okumbi et Musa this pathetic result was expected.
Kenya did not dominate this match. G.Bissau simply resorted to defending their goal. Bissau soccer is mediocre just like Kenya. They are actually ranked worse than Kenya. That they resorted to time wasting is a “technic” Kenyan coaches use and are very familiar with, so why the surprise. Okumbi et Musa will now tell us how Kenya played well. Mwendwa resorted to giving his friend a coaching job who in turn resorted to fielding his friends.
Ever since the late 80’s West Africa has hired good foreign coaches while countries like Kenya resorted to cheap. Over the years the standard of coaching improved their football. Low football standards can be traced to officials, and now with the likes of Mwendwa, expect another era of mediocrity. This guy owed his election to deals and compromises and there is no way he will govern fkf in an independent manner. My free advice, disband this team now and concentrate on under 17 soccer for the next ten years… but again how else will the local coaches get free money and free trips.
I hope we are not being taken back to the dark old days when coaches used to field players depending on their connections.
In my opinion,we have very good fullbacks in kenya like Edwin Wafula and Dennis Odhiambo….why field central defenders there then leave these guys out?
Kindly lets field players on merit and stop this Ubeste and umtaa mentality.Otherwise from the right fielding we can overcome this Bissau team!!
these Mwendwa business in fkf is a total mediocrity and should be watched keenly. Hos election was because of compromises and deals we know it and things are now open for everyone to see. kwani lazima kariobangi sharks wacheze in Harambee stars
not surprised at all, from the word go all was bound to fail, you reap what you sow….Result reflects the mediocrity of the Kenyan we know. First coach Okumbi and his assistants are amateur and failures in their own game, to be given such a huge tasks without any notable international experience is to trash our intelligence. Stars lacked directions and the spine to eke something out of it. at a times you could think they were in a friendly march…. How on earth can a serious coach leave Kahata who has been phenomenon in league, tried and tested? Unless one wants to fail
I am not a football coach but I know when things are dead wrong.Players are chosen to dorn the national jersey based on their form, potential and merit. Today , this is the best of kenya for the next several weeks/months:
GK:Indeche, Origi
DF : Eugene Ambulwa, David Cheche, David Owino,Collins Shivachi,Omar Mbongi, Brian Mandela, Dennis Odhiambo
MF: Ekaliana Ndolo,John Makwata, Victor Wanyama,Humphrey Mieno, Cassidy Lumumba,Francis Kahata,Anthony Kimani, Gearson Likono, Johanna Omolo and Clifton Miheso
FW: Olunga, Jesse Were , Enock Agwanda and Michael Khamati
I like your squad
Bullsheet squad
@ jakoyo I agree with you on this one, but why didn`t you apply to be considered because it seems you know these players… Assuming you were the head coach jana, what would have been your first eleven? in regards to players you have mentioned!!!!
To me i just don’t know how Harambee (stress) will win, because with the Gatussos and Kahatas we still lose. Changing coaches and FKF office bearers has not helped either!
May be we need to be patient with everyone, players and the new technical bench.
Tupunguze kelele.
Commenting on this pains me. This is the Mwendwa team at work? Gosh, anyway we are Kenyans and it would have been strange to think that things should have been different. The monkeys change but the forest remains the same.
They carried 18 officials plus Omotto and Ovella(who is this?),left Kahata,Edwin Wafula,Mangoli, Gattuso, Shakava, Kevin Amwayi et al. To any right thinking Kenyan isn’t Kahata the player to feed Olunga to score? Who else?
So? And they were warned against going there to
experiment. But that is exactly what they did. Omotto won first eleven ahead of Akumu? Situma playing at left full back ahead of Dennis Odhiambo? You think we are fools? You will not qualify for this AFCON, you will NOT. Shauri yako, am in Gor Mahia.
I agree 100%
mwendwa will burry Kenya soccer. Nyamweya killed it.
@Bob,jakoyo only expressed his opinion.We are all gutted.Allow jakoyo to release steam.This team had lost to Posta rangers,a local side.It was always going to be a tall order.How can local clubs like Leopards,Posts,Bandari and Gor hire better coaches than FKF?It shows the desire and hunger these sides have.It his ironical that they have bigger aspirations than the national side bankrolled by the government and has political goodwill.
harambee sharks
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Harambee does well only when the bulk of the players come from Gor and AFC. You remember 87 All African games? How about when Harambee made it to the Cup of Nations finals under Kheri? Most of the players were either from Gor or Leopards. We need Gor and Ingwe to start playing like they should and all will be well at Harambee