The main talking points from Harambee Stars loss to Algeria at AFCON 2019

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Harambee Stars kicked off their Africa Cup of Nations campaign on a losing note after going down 2-0 to Algeria in Cair, Egypt. A poor first half from Sebastian Migne’s boys was punished as Algeria took advantage to ensure that the contest was over before half time.

Below we discuss the 3 main talking points from the first AFCON fixture for the Harambee Stars in 15 years.

Slow start ruthlessly punished

The First 45 minutes were as bad for Harambee Stars as it can get. The team could barely get a sniff of the ball and when they eventually did, they could not string a few passes together. Reckless last-ditch tackles were flying in from the Harambee Stars and it was no surprise that Algeria’s opening goal was a result of a badly timed tackle.

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Dennis Odhiambo should not have made a tackle inside the box but there was not much else to do from the Sofapaka captain going by the flow of the match thus far.  Algeria scored from the resulting spot-kick and Riyad Mahrez added a second 9 minutes later to all but confirm the 3 points for the Desert Foxes.

Sebastian Migne’s boys will need to be quick off the blocks in the second group match against Tanzania on Thursday or they could yet again be chasing the game in the second 45.

Joseph Okumu is a gem

One of the few positives for Harambee stars on the night was the performance of center back Joseph Okumu. The 22-year-old was thrown into the deep end following an ankle injury to starting center back Joash Onyango. Okumu was however unfazed by the occasion and put in a performance that was both encouraging and beyond his age.

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His composure on the ball was excellent all night and dealt with the threat posed by the tricky NorthAfricans in a very mature manner. In a match where Harambee stars were outclassed, the young defender can at least hold his head high and be proud of his work even if the result was negative.

All to play for in the derby

The loss to Algeria means that Harambee Stars simply cannot afford to slip up against their East African neighbors Tanzania in their next group match. A win would revive Kenya’s slim hopes of making it past the group stages while a loss would mean that the AFCON adventure is over despite having one more match to play.

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The game against Tanzania is already big due to the geographical relations between the two countries but has been made even bigger in footballing terms for both teams. It is basically a do or die clash where anything less than 3 points will not be acceptable.

Do you think Harambee Stars can still make it out of the group? Share your thoughts in the comments section below…

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