The business end of the tournament kicks off at MISC Kasarani on Friday evening, as co-hosts and debutants Kenya welcome Madagascar in the first quarterfinal of CHAN 2024. Kick-off is set for 5pm local time, and the buzz around Nairobi couldn’t be any louder, with tickets already sold out amid hopes of a historic run for the Harambee Stars.
Kenya’s Harambee Stars journey to the last eight has been the stuff of dreams. Thrown into a group of death with continental giants DRC, Morocco, Angola and Zambia, few gave the hosts much of a chance. But Benni McCarthy’s side embraced the underdog tag and stunned the continent with performances full of discipline, belief, and character.
It all began with a narrow but vital 1–0 win over two-time champions DRC. A hard-fought 1–1 draw against COSAFA champions Angola followed, before Kenya pulled off the upset of the tournament by defeating Morocco 1–0 while playing with 10 men for most of the match. The fairy tale was sealed with another 1–0 win against Zambia to top the group unbeaten, conceding just once in four games.
Kenya’s story so far has been defined by a tactically rigid setup and defensive steel, even while navigating adversity. Red cards in the matches against Angola and Morocco didn’t derail the team, and McCarthy; a former Mourinho disciple made no secret of the influence his former manager had on his approach.
“I don’t know if you remember I played under a certain manager, José Mourinho,” McCarthy said after the Morocco match. “Under Jose, I learnt the art of when playing down with ten men;one player runs upfront and the rest of us park a train and defend with our lives.”
The South African tactician remains focused and optimistic ahead of the quarterfinal clash.
“Our expectations are very high,” McCarthy told reporters. “As a team, if you don’t have goals and expectations of yourself, you get shortcomings. We know exactly what we want to achieve. Madagascar will just be another obstacle to what we want to achieve. We will prepare as best as we can, and falling short of what we want to achieve will only depend on us.”
On the team’s physical condition, he added, “No injury concerns, everyone is fine and ready for the match tomorrow.”
McCarthy also spoke on Kenya’s preparations and knowledge of their opponents.
“We have done our homework on our opponents and know their strengths and weaknesses. It depends on how well we prepare and how mentally ready our team will be.”
While the defense has earned much praise, anchored by the ever-present Silvester Owino, who’s grown into a rock at the back; Kenya has also witnessed the rise of attacking gem Wesley Ogam. A natural left-footer, Ogam was thrust into the limelight after an injury to lead striker Masoud Juma and has since stolen the show with two match winning strikes.
Further up the pitch, Manzur Okwaro has emerged as another revelation. Initially brought in as a left-back, the youngster was redeployed in midfield during training and has since dazzled with his calm presence, vision, and footwork in the holding role. The tournament has also revived the reputation of Kibwage, newly signed by Gor Mahia who’s slotted seamlessly into defense alongside Silver Owino ‘Sly’
But Kenya’s test now comes against a spirited Madagascar side that has once again flown under the radar. The Malagasy outfit finished third in their CHAN debut in 2022, and their second appearance is already showing signs of another deep run.
Drawn in group B with Mauritania, Tanzania, Central African Republic, and Burkina Faso, Madagascar began with a goalless draw against Mauritania despite playing the entire second half with 10 men. They lost narrowly to hosts Tanzania, with Clement Mzize’s brace doing the damage, but bounced back by beating CAR 2–0 in the final 10 minutes. Their last group match saw them pull off a surprise 2–1 victory over West African giants Burkina Faso to clinch second place and set up this Nairobi showdown.
Their star man has been Lalaina Rafanomezantsoa, a high-scoring midfielder with two goals to his name. But perhaps the heartbeat of this team is veteran goalkeeper Ramandimbisoa, who at nearly 40 continues to produce heroics between the sticks. In the final group game alone, he pulled off seven saves from eight shots to help secure the quarterfinal ticket.
Madagascar touched down in Nairobi early to adjust to the cooler conditions, and arrive with confidence that they can match Kenya on their own patch. Their ability to dig deep, score late, and frustrate opponents is well documented and so is their CHAN pedigree.
Off the pitch, the atmosphere around this match is electric, though not without controversy. Following crowd trouble in the Morocco game, CAF slapped Kenya with a stadium capacity sanction, limiting ticket sales to 60% for their final group match against Zambia. That sanction was respected by FKF, but the Federation has since launched an appeal to CAF for full capacity restoration ahead of the quarterfinal, after fans crashed the ticketing system in a frenzy. The demand is overwhelming, and Kenyans are hoping for good news before kick-off.
As the sun sets over Nairobi and the floodlights take over at Kasarani, a nation will hold its breath. Kenya’s debut run has already lit up CHAN 2024, but Madagascar; seasoned, sharp, and unshaken, won’t be an easy hurdle. With the semi-finals in sight and a sold-out crowd ready to roar, Friday evening promises tension, drama, and potentially, another unforgettable chapter in Harambee Stars’ fairy tale.
