The roar at Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani told the story of a team that refuses to blink. In CHAN 2024 Group Stage Harambee Stars vs Zambia, Kenya left it late yet again, Ryan Ogam delivering a precise finish for a 1-0 win that sealed first place in Group A and preserved an unbeaten march into the knockouts.
The Tusker forward struck in the 75th minute, his second of the tournament, to finally break Charles Kalumba’s brave resistance in the Zambian goal. With the victory, Kenya finished on 10 points, one ahead of Morocco who beat DR Congo 3-1 at Nyayo, and earned a quarter-final date with Madagascar on Friday, August 22, at Kasarani.
How the decisive group A match unfolded
There was no easing into this contest, Kenya pressed high to underline their intent, while Zambia, already eliminated, chased a result to salvage pride. Within the opening exchanges Ben Stanley won a free kick, Austin Odhiambo swung it in, and Zambia cleared with bodies flying, a familiar pattern of Kenyan pressure meeting Zambian grit.
The first real scare for Kenya came when Kelvin Mubanga punished a defensive slip, only for Michael Kibwage to race back and make a superb goal-line clearance that kept the scoreboard still. It was a turning point early on, a reminder of the concentration required when a hungry opponent counters against the run of play. Kibwage’s intervention steadied the hosts and the Kasarani crowd drew breath.
Kenya resumed control, Odhiambo buzzed between the lines and captain Aboud Omar let fly with a thumper that skidded wide via a deflection. Charles Kalumba became central to the narrative, commanding his box and pawing away danger, and as the half ticked on, the stalemate had the feel of a test of patience.
Just before the break, the crowd held its collective breath. Ben Stanley Omondi collided with Dominic Chanda after an Odhiambo cutback and Kenya appealed for a penalty, but the referee waved play on. It was a fiery flashpoint that summed up a half of dominance without reward, and Zambia’s resolve hardened in the heat of the moment.
The tactical spark that broke Zambia’s resistance
Benni McCarthy read the rhythm quickly after the interval. He called for Masoud Juma and Boniface Muchiri, a double move that injected speed and aggression into the final third. The payoff was almost instant as Juma found space at the far post on 60 minutes, his header drawing an excellent stop from Kalumba who remained Zambia’s last line and, more often than not, their best.
Kenya kept probing with crosses and cutbacks, Zambia responded with last-ditch blocks and counters led by Kelvin Mubanga and Prince Mumba. Then came the passage that cracked it open. Muchiri carried from wide, sliced through the defensive line and fed Ogam, and with a velvet first touch and a cold finish across goal, the striker turned pressure into points. Kasarani erupted as the net rippled and the group summit flashed into clear view.
The late push and the key saves
Avram Grant’s side did not wilt, they chased the equaliser with the speed and directness that had threatened all night. In the 83rd minute, Kelvin Kampamba drew a brilliant save from Farouk Shikalo, the Kenya goalkeeper springing low to preserve the slender lead. It was Shikalo’s signature moment, and perhaps the one that secured the clean sheet as the clock danced toward stoppage time.
Kenya still had chances to add gloss. Marvin Nabwire and Muchiri tested Kalumba again, each time the keeper stood tall. The final whistle confirmed an accomplished performance built on control, the courage to keep attacking, and the composure to see out danger. One goal was enough, and that felt fitting for a Kenya team that has mastered the margins in this tournament.
Standout performers and defining moments
Ogam will own the headline, and rightly so, but this was a collective victory that carried echoes of the earlier wins over DR Congo and Morocco. Kibwage’s early clearance mattered as much as the goal, preventing a body blow that could have tilted the evening. Kalumba’s saves kept Zambia in it, while Shikalo’s late stop against Kampamba was the insurance premium a champion must pay.
In midfield and out wide, Odhiambo and Muchiri produced the creativity that turned territory into menace. Omar’s leadership and power set tone and tempo, his effort from range another marker of authority. McCarthy’s substitutions were timed with the canniness of a man who knows when a group needs a new spark.
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What the result means for Kenya and Zambia
Kenya’s unbeaten group campaign stands at three wins and one draw, a return that confirms a trajectory built on clarity and mentality. The reward is top spot and a quarter-final against Madagascar at a venue that now feels like a fortress. The cushion over Morocco, nine points to Kenya’s ten, framed a group that was billed as unforgiving and delivered on that promise.
For Zambia, the story is harsher. The Copper Bullets leave without a point after earlier defeats to DR Congo, Angola and Morocco, a run that underscored how thin the margins can become when confidence ebbs. They still showed fight, their counters dangerous and their defensive resistance admirable for long stretches, and their pride was evident even as the campaign closed.
The Kasarani backdrop and the stakes beyond the pitch
The atmosphere pulsed all afternoon, yet it did so within newly imposed limits. CAF reduced capacity to about 60 percent after a security breach ahead of the Morocco match, and authorities responded with a tightened ring of safety, police at close intervals and roaming patrols to keep order. Even with some seats open, the sound carried, a soundtrack of song, Mexican waves and rhythmic tapping on the stands.
It was a national occasion too. President William Ruto and Raila Odinga were among the dignitaries present, and the incentives woven around this team reflected the moment. The Head of State had pledged Sh2.5 million to each squad member for beating Zambia, and with prior rewards after the DR Congo and Morocco wins and the draw with Angola, the sum for each had already reached Sh2.5 million. Raila Odinga also promised KSh 500,000 to every player for the victory over Zambia.
Benni McCarthy’s statement and selection calls
We want to make a statement by winning tomorrow’s game so that no one can say that it was by chance but by sheer hard work, dedication and domination from the players and the team collectively that we are where we are.
The head coach’s words on the eve of the match landed with force because the team backed them up. McCarthy made several adjustments to his starting group, notably handing a start to Farouk Shikalo in goal, restoring Austine Odhiambo, and naming captain Abud Omar from the first whistle. Each call proved justified as control, balance and energy carried Kenya through the most delicate passages. Selection aligned with strategy, and the performance reflected that logic.
Key moments that shaped the win
- Early warning as Kelvin Mubanga pounced on a lapse, Michael Kibwage cleared off the line,
- Aboud Omar’s powerful drive skimmed wide via a deflection,
- Penalty shout just before the interval as Ben Stanley Omondi tangled with Dominic Chanda, waved away,
- Masoud Juma’s far-post header on 60 minutes forced an excellent save from Charles Kalumba,
- Ryan Ogam’s composed finish on 75 minutes after a Boniface Muchiri pass, with Farouk Shikalo’s 83rd-minute save from Kelvin Kampamba preserving the lead.
The wider frame of history and expectation
History favored Zambia before a ball was kicked, with the Copper Bullets holding the edge in past meetings, although Kenya took a 2-1 friendly in October 2020. That context mattered, it sharpened Kenya’s focus and gave Zambia their target, yet it was the present form that prevailed, a group-stage arc where Kenya learned to win close games and turn control into results. The margins went Kenya’s way, as they have throughout this campaign.
What comes next for Harambee Stars
Madagascar await in the quarter-final back at Kasarani, and there will be little appetite for complacency. The rhythm that has defined Kenya so far, a precise defensive structure, quick transitions through the flanks and patience in the final third, will again be essential. The other bracket sets Tanzania against Morocco in Dar es Salaam, a reminder of the level this tournament has reached.
For Kenya, the takeaway is simple. Keep the defensive focus that produced another clean sheet, sustain the width and movement that created Ogam’s winner, and trust the bench to tilt the balance when legs tire. The group stage posed different tests, DR Congo’s discipline, Angola’s punch, Morocco’s pedigree, and Zambia’s stubborn resolve, and Kenya found answers each time.
The numbers behind the narrative
Three wins and one draw, top of Group A on 10 points, two 1-0 scalps against pre-tournament heavyweights, and a final-day victory under pressure. These are not just statistics, they are mile markers of a team growing into itself, adding layers of belief with every tackle, every chase, every finish. A single strike was the difference against Zambia, yet it came from sustained control and crafted pressure rather than fortune.
In tournaments, the best teams learn to ride the strain and stay clear-eyed in the tense minutes. Kenya did that again at Kasarani, lifting when it mattered, trusting the moment, and holding their nerve. If the quarter-final follows that template, this compelling run will have room yet to grow, and Kasarani’s chorus will be ready to carry another night.
