Benni McCarthy made his debut as Kenya’s head coach, leading to a 3-3 draw with Gambia in a World Cup qualifier. Gambia’s Musa Barrow managed to score twice despite missing a penalty. Notably, Gabon and Benin achieved significant victories in their qualifiers. Additionally, Sierra Leone triumphed under new coach Mohamed Kallon, while Mozambique topped their group after overcoming Uganda.
On Thursday, Benni McCarthy, former assistant coach at Manchester United, commenced his tenure as Kenya’s head coach with a thrilling 3-3 draw against Gambia in a World Cup qualifying match. The first half was uneventful, with Gambia’s Musa Barrow missing a penalty. However, the tempo changed dramatically in the second half when Gambia initially led by two goals, only for Kenya’s William Wilson to secure an equalizer in stoppage time after a defensive mishap by Gambia.
Musa Barrow redeemed his earlier penalty miss by scoring two goals, complemented by a strike from Yankuba Minteh of Brighton. Michael Olunga converted a penalty for Kenya, while substitute Mohammed Bajaber also scored at the National Stadium in Abidjan. McCarthy, aiming to lead Kenya to its first-ever World Cup, stated before the match that his team could “surprise a lot of people” during the qualifiers.
In Group F, Gabon managed a commanding 3-0 victory over Seychelles, placing them atop the group with 12 points ahead of their upcoming match against Kenya in Nairobi on Sunday. Ivory Coast, the current African champions, are in second place with 10 points and are scheduled to compete against Burundi.
Benin rose to the top of Group C despite surrendering a two-goal lead in a 2-2 draw against Zimbabwe in Durban. Goals from Steve Mounie and Dokou Dodo initially put Benin ahead, but Zimbabwe’s Marshall Munetsi and Knowledge Musona managed to equalize. The group remains highly competitive, with Benin leading at eight points, closely followed by Rwanda and South Africa, each with seven points.
In a surprising turn, Rwanda bested South Africa, while Nigeria, a six-time World Cup qualifier, struggled under new coach Eric Chelle, recently drawing with Lesotho and losing to Benin. Nigeria faces Rwanda in a crucial match on Friday.
In other highlights from Africa’s World Cup qualifiers, Mohamed Kallon enjoyed a fruitful debut as Sierra Leone’s head coach, guiding them to a 3-1 win over Guinea-Bissau. Mustapha Bundu contributed by scoring the opening goal, positioning Sierra Leone second in Group A, behind leaders Egypt by two points. Mozambique also ascended to the top of Group G, defeating Uganda 3-1 with two goals from Pedro ‘Pepo’ Santos. Uganda’s goalkeeper experienced difficulties, including a critical error leading to one of Santos’ goals.
Interestingly, Gambia, Zimbabwe, Sierra Leone, and Mozambique all played at neutral venues due to inadequate FIFA-approved stadiums in their respective countries.
Benni McCarthy made a notable debut as head coach of Kenya, advocating hopes for the World Cup after a 3-3 draw against Gambia. The qualification landscape remains competitive, with Gabon and Benin showing strength in their respective groups. Despite struggles from traditional powerhouses like Nigeria, emerging teams like Sierra Leone and Mozambique also reflect the unpredictable nature of the qualifiers. The situation showcases a dynamic landscape in Africa’s quest for World Cup qualification.
Original Source: newscentral.africa
