Benni McCarthy: Harambee Stars did not have to play Senegal

Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy [AFP]

Kenya head coach Benni McCarthy yesterday opened up about the circumstances behind Harambee Stars’ humiliating 8-0 defeat to Senegal in November 2025, describing it as a late, forced change of fixtures and insisting the decision was “completely out of my hands.”

The ex-Bafana Bafana striker said the match was arranged at short notice and that Senegal were not initially set to be Kenya’s opponents.

“We didn’t have to play if we didn’t want to,” the South African tactician stated. He added that Kenya’s opponents shifted repeatedly before the tournament, with plans to face Madagascar and Comoros evolving into different pairings, before Senegal were imposed just days before kick-off.

The game was played in Turkey, only four days after Kenya suffered a 1-0 loss to Equatorial Guinea at the same venue. McCarthy admitted he fielded a young, inexperienced side against the Teranga Lions because he had selected his squad with earlier match-ups in mind, aiming to prepare primarily for Madagascar and Comoros.

According to him, Senegal’s arrival on the fixture list after late rule changes left the team without adequate preparation time. “We were up against the AFCON champions with a squad full of new, experimental players. We weren’t prepared to play Senegal,” McCarthy said.

Reflecting on the double blow of consecutive defeats, McCarthy said it became a harsh lesson that forced him to adjust his approach. He acknowledged that the setback curtailed his willingness to experiment, explaining that the experience of “real international football” changed how he planned squad selection.

“From that mistake, you learn not to experiment again with young, new players,” he said, adding that Kenya is now focused on building toward the 2027 AFCON.

McCarthy also pointed to what he views as a chance to move on, with Kenya set to face Estonia in the 2026 FIFA Series. He believes a strong run could help erase the memory of the Senegal defeat.

“We’re playing against Estonia, and if we win, we play the winner of Rwanda and Grenada,” McCarthy said, concluding: “It’s a nice little opportunity for us to rectify things and make people forget about the last result. We have a chance to put something positive back in the minds of Kenyans.”