McCarthy Delighted as Kenya Snatch Late Draw against Bafana

Kenya coach Benni McCarthy was thrilled with his team's performance after they fought back to secure a 2-2 draw against Bafana Bafana at Orlando Stadium on Friday night. The result came after Kenya scored late in the second half to earn a valuable point against Pitso Mosimane's side. McCarthy, who was still celebrating his birthday, praised his players for showing character against a strong Bafana outfit and believes the draw was a fair reflection of the 90 minutes.

McCarthy made a tactical adjustment during the game, changing his system to a back three, which he believes helped turn the momentum in Kenya's favour. The change allowed Kenya to occupy Bafana's full-backs and gain more space and ball possession. McCarthy said, "I changed it into a back three and then the wing-backs occupied their full-backs. I think they didn't know what hit them."

McCarthy was particularly pleased with Kenya's response after falling behind and believes the late equaliser was deserved. He said, "I think it was a deserved draw for both teams. Whoever had won this game, I don't think people would have been angry or said one team was lucky because, over 90 minutes, both teams had their moments." The Kenyan coach also praised veteran striker Michael Olunga for his professionalism and leadership.

Olunga, who recently returned from injury, was instrumental in Kenya's performance, particularly with his penalty against Bafana goalkeeper Ronwen Williams. McCarthy highlighted Olunga's dedication to the team, saying, "At his age, you would think he could enjoy now. He doesn't need to fly up and down when it's an international break. You could have a week off with his family. But he's still dedicated to come whenever he's fit and he wants to leave a legacy for his country."

The result has given McCarthy further confidence in Kenya's preparations ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). McCarthy believes facing a team of Bafana's quality provides the perfect test, saying, "If you can compete with the likes of Bafana, then you can start dreaming about quarter-finals, semi-finals because this is the kind of opposition you're going to get when you go into a major tournament."

McCarthy also revealed that several players were unavailable due to injuries, including Richard Odada and Duke Abuya, while Zach Vyner was unable to obtain his paperwork in time. Despite this, he was impressed by Amos Wanyama, who was deployed in midfield despite normally playing as a centre-back. Wanyama conceded an own goal but recovered to put in a solid performance in an unfamiliar position.

Kenya will now return home to face Bafana again in the next group-stage encounter, with McCarthy believing his team has shown enough character to compete at the highest level. McCarthy praised Amos Wanyama, saying, "As a coach, you've got to know the players that you have that you can slot in sometimes out of position and they do a job for you. Amos did exceptionally well today. Very proud of him for playing out of position and commanding and being so comfortable in midfield."

Key points

• Kenya earned a valuable point against Bafana Bafana in a 2-2 draw.
• Benni McCarthy praised his team's character and tactical adjustments.
• The draw gives Kenya confidence ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations.