10-man Harambee Stars battle to draw with Angola in CHAN Group A clash

10-man Harambee Stars showed character and resilience after holding Angola to a 1-1 draw in an entertaining 2024 African Nations Championship (Chan) second Group A match played at Kasarani Stadium on Thursday.

Austine Odhiambo scored from the spot to cancel Joaqium Paciencia’s early opener as Kenya moved top of Group A with four points, a point ahead of Morocco and DR Congo, who defeated Zambia 2-0 in an earlier match at Nyayo Stadium.

The match began with an electric pace, with two goals scored in the opening 15 minutes.

At the heart of the thrilling encounter were three Video Assistant Referee (VAR) decisions that were celebrated and bemoaned by spectators at the stadium. While a VAR review saw a Harambee Stars defender sent off early in the first half, it's the Angolans who suffered the biggest blow as VAR awarded a penalty to the hosts which granted Stars an equaliser, and also cancelled a last-minute header that could have won the match for the visitors.

The Southern Africans made their intent known from the second minute when Joao Muanha turned Daniel Sakari inside out from the right wing before finding an open Joaqium Paciencia, whose right-foot curler from the edge of the box beat a diving Bryne Omondi but sailed wide.

Muanha returned two minutes later, beating Sakari again before releasing a left-foot cross that Chitanga Hossi volleyed wide.

Angola switched their attack from the left wing to the right, this time wingback Hossi drilling a cross into the box that forced Omondi to come off his lines and tip the ball away before it was cleared by Alpha Onyango.

The early pressure paid off in the seventh minute after Bernabe Tomas split Kenyan captain Abud Omar and Sylvester Owino before finding space for Paciencia, who beat a charging Omondi with a low shot to hand Angola a 1-0 lead.

The goal awakened the sleeping Kenyan team, who went on a rampage after the restart, pressing high and attacking from the flanks.

The Angolans eventually succumbed to sustained pressure just five minutes after taking the lead when Austine Odhiambo was fouled in the penalty area. After a VAR review, centre referee Sadou Ali Brahamou pointed to the spot. The Gor Mahia attacking midfielder kept his nerves and scored the equalizer after sending Angola's Adilson Da Cruz the wrong way in the twelfth minute.

Kenya's reprieve was, however, short-lived as referee Brahamou was called to the VAR booth ten minutes after the equalizer to review a foul committed near Harambee Stars' penalty box. A sloppy pass from keeper Omondi forced a late tackle from Nabwire who denied Alberto Adao a scoring opportunity. After the review, the referee rescinded a yellow card and sent Nabwire off the pitch to the disappointment of Kenyan fans.

Now playing with a numerical advantage, Angola went on an attacking rampage in a bid to restore their lead, but the Kenyan defence stood tall.

In the 23rd minute, Tomas rounded off Sakari before releasing a cross that found Paciencia unmarked and free. However, the Angolan striker could only head wide.

Alpjonce Omija stood tall moments later, blocking and intercepting every attack.

At the stroke of half-time, Boniface Muchiri released Odhiambo through on goal, but despite a perfect first touch, the second touch took the ball away from the attacking midfielder as the teams went to the break tied at 1-1.

In the final half, Anderson Cruz replaced Muanha for the Angolan side, while Mike Kibwage came in for Muchiri on the Kenyan side in early changes.

Omondi was first to be called into action, putting his body on the line to deny Paciencia in a one-on-one attack for Angola and keep Kenya in the game.

Silvester Owino then showed composure with double blocks, clearing off the line from a corner set piece to keep Kenya safe again.

Second-half substitute Chrispine Erambo initiated Kenya’s first attack in the second half, carrying the ball from his own half before seeing his shot blocked.

A balanced attack followed in the last 10 minutes, and Kenya would have scored in the 86th minute but Owino only found the side net after being unmarked from a corner set piece.

VAR drama continued deep into stoppage time when Angola thought they had scored the winner after Kaporal headed in a last-minute goal, only for the goal to be ruled offside after a check.

The game ended 1-1 to the applause of Kenyan fans who were momentarily silenced after the goal.