Limping Harambee Stars face Lesotho in second friendly
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Reading Time: 2min | Sun. 07.06.26. | 07:54
Benni McCarthy expressed his disappointment with both the result and the performance, attributing it largely to the number of new players in the squad.
The Kenyan national football team, Harambee Stars, takes on Lesotho's Crocodiles in the second of two international friendlies scheduled for Sunday, June 7, at Lucas Moripe Stadium in Pretoria, South Africa, from 4PM.
Lesotho frustrated Kenya in the first match, played on Thursday at the same venue, after coming from behind to force a 1-1 draw.
Gor Mahia defender Frank Odhiambo gave Kenya the lead in the 12th minute before Thabo Makhele equalised for Lesotho in the 70th minute.
Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy expressed his disappointment with both the result and the performance, attributing it largely to the number of new players in the squad.
However, the former Bafana Bafana striker was also pleased to have had the opportunity to assess several newcomers and promised changes to the team setup for Sunday's encounter.
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Once again, Harambee Stars head into the match as favourites, courtesy of their superior FIFA ranking. Kenya is currently ranked 111th in the world, while Lesotho sits 145th.
Having faced criticism following the first match, Kenya will be eager to secure a victory and is expected to adopt a more attack-minded approach.
Speaking ahead of the match, assistant coach Vasili Manousakis outlined the areas the team had worked on in preparation for the second meeting.
"We have worked on a couple of tactical issues that let us down in the first match, especially in the final third where we created opportunities to score. We have to be much more clinical in converting those chances into goals.
The other objective is to assess players who have not had the opportunity to feature and give them a chance. Nevertheless, it is an international match and the expectation is always to win," said Manousakis.
For Deon Woodman, one of the players being closely monitored by the technical bench, the desire to impress remains strong.
"It has been easy adapting. My teammates have been welcoming and there is a good atmosphere in camp. We joke a lot but also know when to get serious, which has helped me settle in.
"It is an honour to represent my country and I am looking forward to getting out there again and playing my part for the nation," he said.