Kenya’s 1-0 defeat to Guinea in Conakry left the Harambee Stars with one point from their opening two Group D matches and coach Benni McCarthy facing mounting scrutiny. The result puts the team’s campaign and its coach under pressure, as supporters direct their anger at the people running the national side.
Fans Put the Pressure on FKF
“I’m sorry but we are .... We can’t compete at Afcon,” Harambee Stars fan Brian Skippa tweeted after the defeat. Another fan, Jimmy Makhulo, directed his demand at the Football Kenya Federation: “Dear FKF, end Benni’s holiday in Kenya NOW. He has toured enough and he needs to go back to SA, and you need to get a proper coach. This experiment has failed.”
The posts capture the immediate public response: calls for FKF to act and for McCarthy to leave. They don't amount to a coordinated response or a change in who controls the team. The federation and its coach retain decision-making power, while supporters can voice their discontent online.
McCarthy, a former South African international and the South African tactician, has faced growing criticism after a second disappointing result since he took charge of the Stars. The Standard reported that Kenya can't afford another slow start when the campaign resumes. The article doesn't report an FKF decision on McCarthy’s future.
One Point, One Goal
Serhou Guirassy scored Guinea’s first-half goal at Stade 28 Septembre. Kenya improved after the break but couldn't find an equaliser. Guinea defended its lead and claimed its first three points of the campaign.
Kenya had drawn 1-1 against Eritrea the previous week and went to Conakry hoping to recover. The loss leaves the Stars third in Group D with one point. Guinea sits second with three, while South Africa leads on six after a 5-0 victory over Eritrea.
Kenya has scored one goal in two qualifiers. That is the measure on the field, alongside a difficult task in the bid to reach the 2027 continental finals. The standings leave little room for the team to recover from another poor result.
The Record and the Next Test
The defeat also extended Kenya’s wait for a win over Guinea in Conakry. In the 2010 World Cup qualifiers, Kenya won the opening leg 2-0 before losing 3-2 in Conakry. The latest meeting again ended with Guinea taking the points on home ground.
The Harambee Stars are expected to play Rwanda in an international friendly on Monday. The match follows a result that has sharpened questions around McCarthy and intensified calls for FKF to replace him. Supporters have made their demands plainly; the team’s next performance will come under pressure in a campaign where Kenya has one point and one goal.