Kenya’s Harambee Stars put on a brave and spirited display to hold Angola to a 1–1 draw in a thrilling Group A encounter of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani. Reduced to ten men midway through the first half, Kenya battled against the odds and VAR drama to earn what may go down as one of the most hard-fought points of the tournament.
The game began at a frantic pace, with Angola taking the lead in the 7th minute. Beni did well down the right wing, cutting inside and picking out Jó Paciência, who made no mistake with his finish to put the Palancas Negras ahead.
Harambee Stars responded almost immediately. In the 12th minute, after a VAR review, the referee awarded a penalty to Kenya for a foul inside the area. Austin Odhiambo stepped up and converted calmly to level the match and bring Kasarani back to life.
The match turned in the 21st minute when Kenya’s Marvin Omondi was sent off. After a mistake by goalkeeper Bryne Odhiambo, Omondi pulled back Jó Paciência to deny a clear scoring opportunity. A VAR review confirmed the red card, leaving Kenya with a man down for the remaining seventy minutes.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, the home side remained disciplined and compact, frustrating Angola who struggled to break them down. The game slowed in tempo during the second half, but both coaches made a series of changes to try and influence the outcome.
Angola brought on Anderson Emanuel, Kaporal, Aguinaldo Matias and Vanilson, while Kenya introduced Chrispine Erambo, Ryan Ogam, Ben Stanley Omondi and Kevin Okumu to inject energy into their depleted side. Angola retained more possession and territory, but could not turn that into clear chances. Jó Paciência, their biggest threat, was substituted late on after being contained by Kenya’s backline.
The match reached boiling point in stoppage time. In the 90+5 minute, Kaporal thought he had scored the winner after heading in a brilliant cross from the right. The Angolan bench erupted, and many disappointed Kenyan fans started walking out. But VAR had the final say. After a lengthy review, the referee ruled the goal out for offside, sending the stadium into wild celebrations. Fans who had left returned to the stands in a rush to join the jubilant scenes.
At full-time, the scoreboard read 1–1, a result that keeps Kenya unbeaten and firmly in control of Group A. The Harambee Stars now top the group with 4 points; Morocco are second with 3 points and a game in hand; DR Congo sit third after their 2–0 victory over Zambia in the earlier match. Angola remain without a win and face a mountain to climb.
Kenya’s final group fixture will be against Morocco on Sunday, a clash that could determine not only qualification but also top spot in the group.
