Striker Ayunga rues missed chances in Harambee Stars’ defeat to Equatorial Guinea
Striker Jonah Ayunga admitted frustration, noting that Kenya’s inability to turn dominance into goals, particularly in the opening half, proved costly.
Harambee Stars were left to rue missed chances after falling 1-0 to Equatorial Guinea in an international friendly at the Emir Complex in Antalya, Turkey, on Friday evening.
A first-half penalty converted by Jose Miranda proved decisive in a tightly contested encounter that offered Kenya valuable lessons and encouraging glimpses under new head coach Benny McCarthy.
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Speaking after the match, striker Jonah Ayunga admitted frustration, noting that Kenya’s inability to turn dominance into goals, particularly in the opening half, proved costly.
"I'm frustrated with the result, obviously losing 1-0 to a penalty. I'm not sure, we haven’t looked at it again, if it was a penalty or not; it looked 50-50 at the time," Ayunga said.
"Defensively, we were good. I think the only chance they got was the penalty. For us, especially in the first half, we needed to capitalise on our chances. Maybe the last pass or finish wasn’t right, but we created a lot. The game plan to sit deep and transition quickly worked. It’s just for us midfielders to take the chances."
Defender Kevin Otiende, handed a surprise senior debut at left-back, expressed pride after completing the full 90 minutes.
"This was my first game, and I played full-time. I feel good and I have gained valuable experience and exposure playing with the senior players," he said. "Playing alongside senior players whom I have been watching is a good experience for me."
McCarthy deployed a 4-4-2 setup, with Nairobi United’s Otiende joining a backline of Rooney Onyango, Michael Kibwage, and Sylvester Owino in front of goalkeeper Byrne Omondi.
Duke Abuya partnered with Marvin Nabwire in central midfield, while William Lenkupae and Boniface Muchiri provided width. Upfront, Ayunga was paired with Ryan Ogam to add a direct attacking presence.
The match remained finely balanced until first-half stoppage time when a challenge by Rooney Onyango on Miranda inside the box was judged a foul. The Equatorial Guinea forward stepped up to convert, sending Omondi the wrong way and giving the Nzalang Nacional a 1-0 lead.
Kenya pressed harder after the restart, but Equatorial Guinea stayed compact, absorbing pressure and restricting the Harambee Stars to half-chances.
McCarthy turned to his bench in the 70th minute, introducing Austin Odhiambo and Ovella Ochieng’ to inject creativity and pace. Later, Shariff Musa and Alphonce Omija came on as Kenya reshuffled in search of an equaliser.
Despite the improved push, the breakthrough never arrived.
The defeat marked Equatorial Guinea’s first-ever win over Kenya in two meetings. For McCarthy’s evolving squad, however, the match offered both encouragement and areas to refine.
With Senegal up next in their final assignment of the November international window, Kenya will be keen to sharpen their edge in the final third and turn promising spells of play into results.
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