Ten-man Kenya produced a performance full of grit and resilience to earn a 1-1 draw against Angola in a pulsating Group A clash at the TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN) PAMOJA 2024 in Nairobi on Thursday night.
Backed by a raucous home crowd at the Moi International Sports Centre, the Harambee Stars were forced to play with a man down for over 70 minutes after Marvin Nabwire’s 21st-minute dismissal. Yet Austin Odhiambo’s composed penalty ensured Benni McCarthy’s men remained unbeaten and top of the group with four points from two matches.
Angola, beaten by Morocco in their opener, started brightly and broke the deadlock in the 7th minute when Jó Paciência finished off a slick passing move involving Beni Jetour. The goal briefly silenced the home fans and hinted at a dominant display from the Palancas Negras.
Kenya, however, struck back swiftly. Odhiambo won a penalty after VAR confirmed a foul by Mafuta inside the box, before confidently sending the goalkeeper the wrong way to level matters in the 12th minute. It was the Gor Mahia midfielder’s second goal of the tournament, underlining his emergence as Kenya’s breakout star at CHAN 2024.
The match took a dramatic turn when Nabwire fouled Nabwire’s yellow card was upgraded to a straight red following a VAR review. With a numerical disadvantage, McCarthy switched to a compact, disciplined shape to frustrate Angola’s possession-heavy style.
Goalkeeper Byrne Omondi was Kenya’s hero in the second half, pulling off crucial saves to deny Aguinaldo Matias and Paciência from close range. Despite the defensive workload, the hosts still carved out chances, with substitute Chrispine Erambo testing the keeper and Sylvester Owino going close from a corner.
Angola thought they had snatched the win in stoppage time when Kaporal pounced on a cross, but VAR once again intervened, ruling the goal out for offside.
The final whistle sparked relief and celebration on the Kenyan bench, with the draw keeping them top of Group A ahead of Morocco and DR Congo. Angola’s hopes now hinge on a must-win final match against DR Congo, while Kenya can seal a historic quarter-final berth with a result against defending champions Morocco.
