Nairobi, Kenya: Kenya confirmed their supremacy in Group A of the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) PAMOJA 2024 after edging Zambia 1-0 at a fully-packed Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, on Sunday.
Ryan Ogam’s 75th-minute strike secured the Harambee Stars’ unbeaten run, cementing their place at the summit with 10 points, while Zambia exited bottom without a single point. In the parallel fixture, Morocco overcame DR Congo 3-1 at Nyayo Stadium to join Kenya in the quarter-finals.
The decisive moment for Harambe Stars came when substitute Boniface Muchiri split Zambia’s backline with a clever delivery, and Ogam, who has been prolific for the co-hosts, controlled the ball carefully before calmly firing past Charles Kalumba, sending the 27,000-strong Nairobi crowd into wild celebrations.
Despite Zambia’s spirited attempts through Kelvin Kampamba and Prince Mumba, Kenyan goalkeeper Faruk Shikhalo made decisive stops to preserve the clean sheet.
Head coach Benni McCarthy hailed his side’s resilience, noting Kenya had silenced early critics. “When everybody said Group of Death, we would probably have had zero points after four games, but we found ourselves sitting on top of the mountain,” McCarthy said.
Kenya had already defeated Morocco and DR Congo, underlining their tactical maturity as genuine title contenders. They will face Madagascar in the quarter-final on Friday in Nairobi.
For Zambia, the campaign was a disaster, four defeats from four. Coach Avram Grant, however, insisted the experience offered lessons for a rebuilding side.
“It’s a new team, and we wanted to see who is available for the national team,” Grant said.
Captain Kampamba admitted disappointment, saying, “We wanted to bow out with a win but fell short. The fans deserved more.”
Morocco punish Congo in Group A decider
At Nyayo Stadium, Morocco showed clinical edge against DR Congo. Oussama Lamlaoui struck early before Jephté Kitambala levelled before half-time.
The turning point arrived when Mohamed Hrimat converted a VAR-awarded penalty in the 66th minute, before Lamlaoui sealed his brace in the 80th minute. DR Congo’s late push fizzled, leaving them stranded in third.
Coach Tarek Sektioui praised his side’s discipline, saying, “We came searching for a win and the boys delivered with maturity.”
Meanwhile, Leopards’ coach Otis Ngoma admitted his side lacked composure: “We needed to be clinical in decisive moments, but we were not.”
Kenya will now remain in Nairobi for their quarter-final to face Madagascar, giving them both momentum and home advantage, while Morocco face Group B winners Tanzania in the last eight.
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