Benni McCarthy impressed with ‘brilliant’ Kenya despite Estonia defeat

[p]In the fixture at Amahoro Stadium in Kigali, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/kenya/CIAJw1QK/"]Kenya[/a] rallied after going down in the first period to level the scores at 1-1. Tanel Tammik rose highest to head home the opener for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/estonia/YJwM4R15/"]Estonia[/a].[/p][p][b]However, Kenya produced an incredible second-half display and they were rewarded when debutant Zec Obiero found the ball between the defenders to Ryan Ogam, who came face to face with the goalkeeper, before chipping the ball into the net.[/b][/p][p]The game had to be decided on penalties, and Kenya saw Richard Odada, and substitute Mohammed Bajaber miss their efforts.[/p][p]Austin Odhiambo, Lawrence Ouma, Erastus Erambo, and Ben Omondi scored for Harambee Stars but it was not enough as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/estonia-YJwM4R15/kenya-CIAJw1QK/?mid=fo7BRaos"]Estonia carried the day[/a].[/p][h2]Kenya were by far the better team[/h2][p][b]“First half I was a little bit disappointed because we put up a lackluster show, but I think as the game went on, in the second half we started getting the momentum,”[/b] said McCarthy.[/p][p]“In the second half, I just told the boys, you know we have to play with the same desire that I know we can, we just needed to be a little more patient with movement of the ball, and getting into spaces.[/p][p] “If you want to receive the ball, you have to get into a position, where you can be able to get the ball.[/p][p][b]“I knew the space would open for us in the second half because Estonia would get tired, and yeah, in the second half we were by far the most brilliant team.[/b][/p][p]“We moved the ball well, and we went into their area without fear, and we scored a goal, the equaliser, and we could have scored twice thereafter.[/p][embed guid="1e362da0-3b28-4a58-ab84-d9da0d06044d" url="https://x.com/Harambee__Stars/status/2037656635976380609" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]“You know Lawrence (Ouma), and Ben Stanley should have scored, and also that last-gasp miss which their (Estonia) defender cleared off the line.”[/b][/p][h2]Penalties is a lottery[/h2][p]Asked about losing on penalties, McCarthy responded: [b]“When you go to penalties, you know it is a lottery. You know it’s a lottery and like I said, we don’t have the best luck with penalties.[/b][/p][p]“We did the same in CHAN, and now against Estonia. But when you lose on penalties, and looking at the effort the boys put in, the maturity that they showed, the composure, and yeah, to compete against a team that played against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/italy/hlKvieGH/"]Italy[/a], was an amazing performance.”[/p][p]He added: [b]“Estonia is a team that played against Holland, they played against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/norway/8rP6JO0H/"]Norway[/a], they played against very top opposition in Europe. We are only a small African country from East Africa, but we showed today that, you know, we are making progress in the right direction, and that is what I want from my team.[/b][/p][embed guid="4ac3c91c-ae81-4121-a9ea-cc199adcbb64" url="https://x.com/Harambee__Stars/status/2037590242106945964" social-type="twitter" /][p]“We need to make progress and when 2027 comes, we will be ready, the team will be ready for that.”[/p][p][b]“Second half we showed this is Africa, this is our soil, and as good as they were in the first half, they have been together for many more times than we have been together, but in the second half, my team really dominated.[/b][/p][p]“So, yeah, I am really excited for what they did against Estonia, but now we have to really learn, and ask my team to do that from the first minute, from the start of the game.[/p][p][b]“I am confident we can do that, and then we will be able to cause a lot of teams problems, and we will be able to beat a lot of teams if we start fast, and continue to play the way we did in the second half.”[/b][/p][p]The South African legend concluded: [b]“When you lose on penalties, woou, it is a shame for the players.”[/b][/p][p]Kenya will face Grenada in the third-place playoff after the latter suffered a 4-0 defeat against Rwanda at the same venue.[/p][p][b]The 2026 edition of this initiative will feature 48 national teams – representing almost a quarter of FIFA’s 211 Member Associations – competing in 12 groups of four teams each.[/b][/p][p]Kenya are using the Series as part of their preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania will host the 36th edition from June 19th to July 18th.[/p][image alt="Dennis Mabuka" id="009ee08a-c012-41bf-bdae-acba9770ea19" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="8774069e-dcfd-423d-b179-11e50522b958" original-width="1200" original-height="381" /]