Lack of game management Harambee Stars achilles heel, 'Pamzo' says

Kenya began their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign on a sour note after going down 2-1 at Gabon on Thursday.

The Harambee Stars were 1-0 up at the breather courtesy of Masud Juma's 40th minute goal, but the tables turned in the second stanza with the hosts scoring twice to emerge victorious.

"When you're playing away and you find yourself leading, what you should and need to do is manage the game," Sammy "Pamzo" Omollo told Mozzart Sport.

Stars let the Panthers back into the game at the hour mark when Denis Athanase Bouanga leveled the scores.

The winner, which sent the 22,000 capacity Franceville Stadium into a frenzy, was delivered with panache two minutes to stoppage time by Guélor Kanga who sent a rasping long range shot past a fully stretched, but late goalkeeper Patrick Matasi.

"Unfortunately for us we don't learn. Most of the goals we concede even in the friendlies we played came late in the second half. Clearly there's something wrong with our concentration levels," Pamzo, who played and coached the Harambee Stars, offered.

He suggested that Stars borrow a leaf from the North Africans, who are known to apply all manner of game management tactics to grind time off the clock just to achieve their targets.

The former defender equally pointed out that most of the goals Stars concede are due to either defensive or goalkeeper mistakes, "something must be done in that backline."

He feels Gor Mahia prodigy Benson Omala should have been given game time. "To be honest, our forward line is blunt. If Michael Olunga is consistently scoring for his club, why can't he do the same for the national team? It means something is not right, he should be talked to or another player given an opportunity. If you ask me, Omala should have been given some game time."

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Stars will head straight to Ivory Coast where they will play Seychelles in their next Group F match on Monday.

"It's a must win game for the Harambee Stars. There can be no excuse of home advantage as both teams will be playing away," Pamzo said.

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