Harambee Stars played for a 3-3 stalemate away to Gambia in a crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying tie at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire.
Kenya headed to the match fourth in Group F with five points, one ahead of their match day opponents and despite moving one point ahead, they remain fourth.
The draw leaves the country’s hopes for qualification hanging by a thread as the only win they have picked thus far was against Seychelles in a 5-0 show, a match played here as well.
A slow first half faded in comparison to the explosive second that saw six goals scored, with Kenya coming from behind, twice, to pick a point.
“We had some golden opportunities early in the first half that we failed to convert. The changes made after the break, introducing some fresh legs changed the game. Even though we got a penalty, it was a soft one. I would have been furious had that been given against us. Credit to the bench players, led by youngster Bajaber who came in and made great effort to inject pace and push for goals. I am fairly happy with what I have seen against a team like Gambia and we will build from here,” coach McCarthy, who was in leading Harambee Stars for the first time, said after the match.
McCarthy’s charges wasted no time in making their intentions known as Richard Odada came close to an opener in the fourth minute, getting to a poorly cleared ball, but his chance from outside the box, went over the bar.
Despite the slow pace, Kenya kept pushing and four minutes later their efforts almost paid off as skipper Michael Olunga got to the end a Rooney Onyango cross, only to head wide and miss a chance to put his side ahead.
A quiet ten minutes on the pitch was broken by Gambia as Brighton & Hove Albion winger Yankuba Minteh came threateningly close in the 23rd but, Daniel Anyembe, who barely put a foot wrong in the opening half, made a crucial stop to deny the former Feyenoord man.
Five minutes later, McCarthy’s charges found themselves in trouble after keeper Otieno came off his line to stop a charging Alieu Federa from shooting a rebound from a spilled over ball, after a marvellous save, only to get to the challenge late and bring him down.
Saudi Pro League star Musa Barrow stepped on the spot ready to put the hosts ahead but was stopped on his tracks by Richard Bay’s shot stopper, Otieno, the 31-year-old making amends for picking the penalty in the first place.
It was a largely quiet half after that with both sides struggling to break the deadlock, the match heading to the break in a stalemate.
Everything went wrong for the visitors in the opening quarter of the second half as Barrow attoned for his sins, sending a volley past Otieno for the opener in the 54th.
Seven minutes later, Minteh slotted home from close range to double the lead. Moments before the eight minutes of madness, Erick Johana had missed a sitter after being fed by Rooney Onyango.
Kenya pulled one back through skipper Olunga from the spot after second-half substitute Jonah Ayunga was brought down in the penalty area.
Second half changes made all the difference as Kenya levelled the score with Ayunga and another second half substitute Bajaber, making his qualifiers debut for Stars (he played in the Mapinduzi Cup) combined for a spectacular shot to the top left corner, the latter scoring.
Kenya had the chance to make it three goals on the trot as Bajaber picked the ball close to the half line, twisting his way past two makers for a pass to an unmarked Duke Abuya whose hesitation allowed the Gambia defense to close in and block his attempt.
Barrow grabbed the lead for Gambia in the 83rd, for a brace, after beating Kenya’s offside trap. When all seemed lost, debutant William Lenkupae, scored at the death to force the stalemate.
“We beat ourselves today. Kenya created two spectacular scoring chances and did not score but we gifted them three more due to our poor match handling. The penalty may have seemed soft but we were messing around with the ball near the box which cannot happen. Bajaber’s goal was good but, again, he was left open. We failed to clear the ball for the third. We made bad decisions in all three instances and that is infuriating,” Gambia head coach Jonathan McKinstry said.