Harambee Stars’ 1-0 victory over Morocco on August 10 kept their unbeaten run alive at the African Nations Championship (CHAN) but was not enough to guarantee a place in the quarterfinals.
Ryan Ogam scored the lone goal at a packed Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, calmly slotting past Moroccan goalkeeper El Mehdi Al Harrar to hand Kenya a famous win over the tournament favorites.
Head coach Benni McCarthy rotated his squad heavily, resting key players like Austin Odhiambo and Alphonce Omija in favor of fresh legs after the draw against Angola.
The result moved Kenya to seven points, but their progression from Group A was delayed after Angola defeated Zambia later in the day at Nyayo Stadium.
That win kept the group wide open, with both Angola and one of Morocco or DR Congo still mathematically capable of overtaking Kenya.
Why Qualification Is Not Yet Confirmed
The group remains open, and results in the final round of fixtures could still shuffle the standings enough to push Kenya out of the top two, though the risk is slim.
Also Read:Â Kenya Beat Morocco 1-0 in CHAN 2024 to Maintain Group A Lead
Current Standings
Morocco – 2 matches, 3 points
Kenya – 3 matches, 7 points
Angola – 3 matches, 4 points
DR Congo – 2 matches, 3 points
Zambia – 2 matches, 0 points
Why Kenya Must Wait
Angola can still reach 7 points if they beat Zambia, matching Kenya’s current tally. In that case, goal difference or head-to-head could decide who goes through.
Either Morocco or DR Congo could leap to 9 points if they win all remaining matches, topping the group and potentially relegating Kenya to second or third.
Since Morocco and DR Congo face each other, both cannot overtake Kenya but one of them could, while Angola could also catch up if Kenya loses to Zambia.
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That means, Morocco or DR Congo could also surpass Kenya if one of them wins both remaining matches, but the fact that they face each other on the final day guarantees that at least one will drop points.
Zambia, with no points and only two matches left, cannot catch Kenya.
What Kenya Needs
One point against Zambia guarantees qualification regardless of other results.
A win would secure top spot and a quarterfinal in Nairobi.
Kenya could also qualify before their final game if Angola fails to beat Zambia or if Morocco and DR Congo draw.
There is no “best loser” or “best third place” path in CHAN group stages. Only the top two in each group advance. Kenya must seal a top two spot to progress.
Harambee Stars coach McCarthy made it clear he wants to top the group, which would mean playing Group B’s runner-up at home in Nairobi.
The second-placed team in Group A will instead face Group B’s winner in Dar es Salaam.
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