McCarthy praises Video Assistant Referees (VAR) following Harambee Stars' thrilling tie with Angola
Kenya's Harambee Stars Show Resilience in Draw Against Angola
In a closely contested match under the lights at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, Kenya's Harambee Stars drew 1-1 against Angola in the African Nations Championship (CHAN 2024). The result leaves Kenya in pole position in Group A, with four points after two games.
The game started in Angola's favour when Jó Paciência scored the opening goal in the 6th minute. However, Kenya equalized quickly, with Austin Odhiambo converting a penalty in the 12th minute, awarded following a VAR review that confirmed a foul by Mafuta inside the box.
The crucial turning point came in the 21st minute when Marvin Nabwire was shown a red card, forcing Kenya to play with 10 men for the remainder of the match. Despite the disadvantage, Kenya displayed remarkable resilience to hold Angola and secure the draw.
McCarthy, Kenya's coach, expressed his frustration at the late counterattack where Harambee Stars players made the wrong decision, leading to them conceding. He admitted that the early red card changed the course of the game but was proud of his team's performance and attitude.
The draw left Angola needing a win in their final group game to have any chance of progressing, while Kenya could secure a historic quarter-final spot with a positive result against Morocco.
In a post-match interview, McCarthy praised the officiating for making the correct decision in disallowing the Angolan goal. He also noted that his team struggled to handle Angola's control and movement during the game.
Interestingly, McCarthy initially did not see the foul that led to Odhiambo's penalty. He admitted that he should have apologized to Odhiambo for his initial reaction to the foul. The VAR saw the foul and intervened, ensuring that justice was served.
McCarthy believed that Kenya could have secured more than a draw had they finished the game with 11 men. He expressed exhaustion and concern about the mental and physical toll of the match on his team, but remained optimistic about Kenya's chances against Morocco in their final group match.
In conclusion, the CHAN 2024 match between Kenya and Angola was a thrilling encounter, with VAR playing a significant role in the match by confirming the penalty for Kenya and disallowing a late Angolan goal. The red card incident was a major turning point, forcing Kenya to display strong defensive resolve to secure the draw.
[1] African Nations Championship (CHAN 2024) Match Report: Kenya vs Angola [2] McCarthy Expresses Frustration Over Late Counterattack [3] McCarthy Proud of Harambee Stars' Performance and Attitude [4] VAR Intervention Saves Kenya from Defeat Against Angola [5] Kenya Maintains Unbeaten Run in CHAN 2024, Topping Group A with Four Points
Sports business took the forefront as the African Nations Championship (CHAN 2024) Match Report: Kenya vs Angola highlighted an intense game, resulting in a draw. In the epaper, McCarthy, the coach of Harambee Stars, expressed his frustration and praised his team's resilience, especially after a football player was shown a red card, requiring Kenya to play with 10 men. Despite the challenging circumstances, the team managed to secure the draw and maintain their unbeaten run in the CHAN 2024 tournament, topping Group A with four points.
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