Kenya’s national football team, Harambee Stars, secured a vital point against Angola, playing
to a 1-1 draw in their second Group A match of the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN). The match, held at Kasarani Stadium, saw Kenya overcome an early deficit and an early first-half red card to earn the result.
After losing their opening match 2-0 to Morocco, Angola came out strong. They took the lead in just the seventh minute when Jo Paciencia scored. However, Kenya responded quickly, with Austin Odhiambo converting a penalty in the 12th minute to level the score.
A Slow Start and a Quick Response
Just as they did in their previous match against DR Congo, Kenya started slowly, allowing Angola to dominate the midfield and create early chances. This time, they were punished when Bernabe Muafulo Tomas won the ball on the right wing and set up Paciencia, who dribbled past a defender and slotted the ball past goalkeeper Omondi. Unlike the DR Congo match, where an early goal against Kenya was disallowed by VAR, this one counted.
The goal seemed to spark Kenya into action. They began building their play from the back, and their efforts paid off five minutes later. After a clumsy foul on Austin Odhiambo inside the box by defender Joaquim Balanga, the referee awarded a penalty following a VAR review.
Odhiambo stepped up and calmly sent the Angolan goalkeeper, Neblu, the wrong way to tie the game.
A Red Card and a Resolute Defense
Kenya’s momentum was dealt a significant blow when they were reduced to 10 men. A mistake by goalkeeper Bryne Omondi, who gave the ball away from a back pass, led to Marvin Nabwire being sent off for a second bookable offense after he pulled Paciencia’s shirt to prevent a goal.
Despite being a man down, Harambee Stars remained composed and defended resolutely. They denied Angola on two key occasions, with Omondi saving a glancing header from Paciencia and Alpha Onyango blocking a powerful goal-bound shot from Gilberto.
Angola thought they had won the game in stoppage time when substitute Kaporal found the back of the net, but the goal was correctly ruled out for offside. The match ended 1-1, leaving Kenya with a crucial point as they look ahead to their final group stage match.
DR Congo Rebounds with Victory
In the other Group A fixture at Nyayo Stadium, DR Congo reignited their campaign with a 2-0 victory over Zambia. Goals from Ibrahim Matobo and substitute Horso Mwaku secured the win for the Leopards, who had lost their opening match to Kenya. The victory ended DR
Congo’s five-match winless streak at CHAN, at CHAN, while handing Zambia their first-ever group stage defeat in the competition’s history.
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