Philemon, Muguna, Joash, Samuel in action as Kenya lose
Kenya Harambee stars were bundled out of the CHAN qualifier on Sunday. This after settling for a scoreless draw and losing 4-1 on penalties.
Joash Onyango and Philemon Otieno manned the defense while Samuel Onyango was in the attack.
Additional reporting from the Nation
For the fifth time of asking, Kenya has failed to qualify for the Africa Nations Championship (Chan).
On Sunday, Harambee Stars were beaten 4-1 on post-match penalties by Tanzania following a dull game at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani in a game that will put French coach Sebastian Migne under pressure.
This result means Kenya will not play at the 2020 Chan tournament in Cameroon in January.
Kenya also failed to qualify for the last edition of this tournament two years ago after the government failed to build stadiums required to host a tournament of this calibre. Consequently, Confederation of African Football took away the hosting rights and handed them to Morocco.
Meanwhile, Sunday aftenoon’s game ended goalless, a similar score line to the one attained when these two teams met in the first leg at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam a week ago.
In the shoot out, veteran Tanzania goalkeeper Juma Kaseja rolled back the years, saving Micheal Kibwage’s opening penalty.
Gor Mahia’s Joash Onyango blasted his kick over the bar, while Clifton Miheso was the only player from team Kenya to beat Kaseja from 12 yards.
Tanzania meanwhile, converted all their four penalties via Erasto Nyoni, Paulo Nyanganya, Gadiel Micheal and Salim Hamis.
“We are disappointed with this result,” said Kenya captain Dennis Odhiambo.
“Things didn’t work out and we failed to score a goal in 180 minutes. That’s where the problem is.”
This is the second time Taifa Stars are eliminating their northern neighbours in this championship, even though the game was anything but exciting.
It turned into a disjointed affair at the onset, perhaps owing to the fact that both sets of players were enjoying their end of season break.
That said, Tanzania were slightly the better of the two teams in the first 15 minutes.
In the opening moments, Tanzania’s John Bocco had a sniff at Kenya’s goal.
But then, the Simba striker failed to trouble Kenyan goalie Jeff Oyemba with his shot, which whistled well wide after a cross from Nyoni.
Kenyan defender Philemon Otieno soon after was stretched off after a collision and replaced by Ibrahim Shambi.
Soon after, the hosts won a free kick at the edge of the area and Miheso blasted wide.
The gigantic Bocco then fared better with his next chance, but still, his header was easily dealt with by Oyemba.
Upfront for Kenya, the Kariobangi Sharks duo of Sydney Lokale and Duke Abuya appeared ineffective.
Not once in the opening half an hour did either trouble Kaseja.
Stars huddled together for a moment, possibly in prayer, before the start of the second stanza.
Soon after, an exciting combination between Abuya and Miheso down the left hand side gifted
Whyvonne Isuza with a great opportunity. But then the Leopards midfielder appeared to handle the ball before shooting off target and was penalised for that.
Locale then wasted a half chance via a counter attack after hesitating with the final ball when perhaps releasing Isuza would have been a better option.
Substitute Enos Ochieng, making his first competitive international debut, handled the ball in the box when he was through on goal. Ochieng again fluffed at the critical moment, and that was it.
When this man was hired as coach for our national football team (whose change of name is long overdue) I did observe that he achieved underwhelmingly with Congo Brazzaville in spite of that country being inundated with footballing talent. Guys please excuse Sebastian. He is inept, arrogant, abbrasive and is no miracle worker.
Aende au asiende? Aendelee au asiendelee? I bet Mr. Nick Mwendwa now has to answer these questions as he grapples with the reality that his experiment has failed.
@Fred Odhiambo, you are right regarding Dennis Odhiambo Omino. I am sorry to say this, but it is the truth: Dennis Odhiambo, Kennedy Otieno. Joackins Atudo, Humphrey Mieno, Jerry Santos, Peter Opiyo, Dennis Oliech, Eric Johanna, Ovella Ochieng’ and Noah Abich fall in one group as far as love or is it contempt? for Gor Mahia is concerned.
Ati one Kimanzi resigned from Mathare to concentrate on this thing? Hakuna kitu hapa so long as the likes of Kimanzi, with his biases, are the ones around the table, they are not have never been and will never be serious. Now on Denis Odhiambo, let’s leave him alone to wind up where he is, 34 years bwana, wachana.
Any reason to have Gor players playing in Kenyasharks united? They would have been helping with our team as we have a match next week. Is it productive from any front? Philemon is injurwd again in another useless match. Can someone who smokes Sonko’s stuff talk here?
Sebastian Migne and Kimanzi are total failures. There were no players such as Wanga and Kipkirui in the lineup of this useless Harambee Stars. As long as there are huge conflict of interests between Mwendwa and K-Sharks, I do not see the Stars and our football going anywhere.
Regarding recruitment of players in Gor Mahia, EC and TB have brought in many players almost 15 players and this will either improve the team or destroy the team. What we can do now as fans is to intercede for the team to succeed.
Upto today I have not understood why Kirui was not included in Harambee Stars. The striking force was as blunt as a Cassava knife. It is almost implied that Kenya lucks in outright strikers. This is a fact that we struggled with for a long time. By all indications, Kirui is a rare one. The coach has been around enough to know this. His assistants know this as well. Can they tell us what was so difficult in calling up the player. Is it that because he is playing for Gor and not Kariobangi Sharks, Mathare or Efusi. I think that this is unfair and unprofessional.This kind of cocoon thinking is killing our National Football. I am not fronting Kirui because he is playing for Gor but because he is a striker. Wait until the league is on and he starts to bang in goals, I wonder what they will say.
kwanini ruto alitudanganya eti wanasema na kutender hilhali timu ya kenya itacheza mechi inje kwa sababu ya ukosefu wa uwanja humu inchini? si siasa ninalolipenda lakini hafadhali gor wacheze nje ya nchi ili ruto ajue anapenda siasa kuliko kazi anayodanganya kuwa anachapa.the goverment is alet down on football matters.kenya polis event at kasarani is okay if only it is about sport.the gov.should provide another venue asap.or they admit they are incompitent or corruption is king.
What happened to Nyayo stadium? All I used to hear from the sports CS last year was threats and ultimatums for the facility to be opened to the public… clearly it was a PR exercise!!
@Jasego, are ALL our new players registered and legible to play in CAF? Do we have ticket money for the trip? With Kasarani not available and Machakos not certified for CAF, what are our options?
The new Rwanda Complex..this things should have been planned yesterday Lakini Aduda Mahdi mana gik Sonko
What a shame
Football is business. If you cant own a club, own a stadium then you will be getting all the incomes from those teams. Kusema na kuTENDER. ama namna gani
@Dan Original, Gor Mahia has released in their website the names of all the players registered with CAF to play in the 2019/2020 CAF club champions. They include all the foreign players (Mapigano, Ambundo, Batambuze, Gnamian and Francis Afriyie). Excluded are Kennedy Otieno and the many new recruits from NSL like Oalo, Ombija etc. Local players like Oliech, Kipkirui, Samuel Onyango, Philemon, Joash, Frederick Odhiambo, Bonface etc are included. It is a good squad
GOR MAHIA’S 23-MAN CAF CL SQUAD
Goalkeepers:
Fredrick Odhiambo, David Mapigano, Boniface Oluoch
Defenders:
Wellington Ochieng, Philemon Otieno, Shafik Batambuze, Geoffrey Ochieng, Joachim Oluoch, Joash Onyango, Charles Momanyi, Maurice Ojwang.
Midfielders:
Ernest Wendo, Tobias Otieno, Kenneth Muguna, Curtis Wekesa, Bonifae Omondi, Lawrence Juma, Samuel Onyango.
Forwards:
Dennis Oliech, Nicholas Kipkirui, Dickson Ambundo, Gislain Yikpe Gnamien, Francis Afriyie.
That penalty from Joash Onyango was hillarious.
It doesn’t look like Migne and his team practiced penalties. Even goakleeper could not save even one.
Gor Mahia FC ?? has parted ways with head coach Hassan Oktay. The Turkish tactician left Nairobi, Kenya days ago to go and attend to father’s illness but have now made it clear that he will not return to Kenya.
Another foreign coach, Oktay’s replacement is set to land in Nairobi tomorrow to finalize on paper work.