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Harambee Stars assistant coach reveals tactical tweaks, advice behind big win over Lesotho
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Reading Time: 3min | Mon. 08.06.26. | 12:57
Kenya went into the match under pressure, having played Lesotho to a 1-1 draw in the first friendly on Thursday last week
Harambee Stars assistant coach Vasili Manousakis says Kenya’s emphatic 4-0 victory over Lesotho was evidence that the team had taken on board lessons from the first friendly, although he insists there is still considerable room for improvement ahead of the September international window.
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The two matches, played in Pretoria, were arranged after Kenya’s planned friendlies against Kyrgyzstan and Palestine were cancelled.
Harambee Stars were held to a 1-1 draw by Lesotho on Thursday before producing a much-improved display in the return fixture on Sunday.
Mohammed Bajaber and Lawrence Okoth each grabbed a brace as Kenya cruised to victory.
Micah Obiero and debutant Sydney Agina marked impressive outings with assists.
According to Manousakis, the technical bench demanded a more disciplined and tactically organised performance after being left frustrated by the team's wastefulness in the first encounter.
“I think there was a notable difference; we asked for more discipline. Tactically, we asked to be a little more clinical in the final third. We created a lot more chances in the first match, but we were wasteful, very wayward,” said Manousakis.
The coach explained that the improvements went beyond finishing, revealing that the focus was also on improving Kenya’s structure in possession and positioning across the pitch.
“It started with being a little more clinical with the chances we created, but even before that, we got the possession and positioning a little bit right,” he added.
The changes paid off as Harambee Stars looked more controlled throughout the match and were far more ruthless when opportunities presented themselves.
However, Manousakis was careful not to get carried away by the result, noting that the team had not yet reached the performance levels the coaching staff are targeting.
“It was not quite the intensity we wanted to reach, but we had an expectation, and I think the guys were close enough today in the delivery of the performance,” he said.
The South African tactician pointed out that several members of the squad were sharing the pitch for the national team for the first time, making the camp an important exercise in building chemistry and evaluating players in an international environment.
“Some were playing together for the first time, and we wanted to play against a very well-structured Lesotho, physical, full of energy, and it gave us a lot of taste,” he added.
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With the June camp now complete, the focus shifts to the next round of international assignments in September.
While the victory offered encouragement, the coach stressed that the friendlies were never solely about results.
“We now have to shift our focus to September, and we are not too concerned about any pressure on us. It's a game that we wanted certain objectives; of course, we wanted to win, but we wanted to look at this group of players,” said Manousakis.
“We wanted them to have the experience of international football for the first time.”
Stars will now shift focus to AFCON 2027 qualifiers set for September.
