Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy admitted he was not entirely satisfied with Kenya's 1-1 draw against Lesotho but believes the friendly provided valuable lessons as he continues to assess his squad ahead of future assignments.
Kenya looked on course for victory at Lucas Moripe Stadium in Pretoria after Frank Odhiambo gave the visitors a first-half lead. However, Thabo Makhele's second-half equaliser denied Harambee Stars a winning start to their two-match friendly series against the Southern African nation.
Speaking after the match, McCarthy acknowledged that the result was disappointing given the number of chances his side created, but stressed that the primary objective was to evaluate several inexperienced players making their first appearances for the national team.
"I think the team needed a match to get going because obviously we had so many new players coming into the team for the first time," said McCarthy.
The South African tactician fielded a squad that included several fresh faces as he continues to widen Kenya's player pool ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers and finals, which Kenya will co-host alongside Uganda and Tanzania.
While pleased with certain aspects of the team's performance, McCarthy felt Harambee Stars should have done more to put the game beyond Lesotho's reach after taking the lead.
"I think the game was good. I'm not entirely happy and satisfied with the draw, but it's football. When you have the chances that we had and you don't score them, then at 1-0 you're always vulnerable," he explained.
Harambee Stars in action against Lesotho. (Photo: Harambee Stars/X)
McCarthy also pointed to the circumstances surrounding Lesotho's equaliser, suggesting a misunderstanding during a substitution contributed to the goal. He explained that Kenya had planned to delay a change until after defending a free kick, but the substitution was processed before the set piece was taken.
"The fourth official made the substitution before the free kick. We wanted the player to stay on and defend first, then make the change afterwards. Unfortunately, they insisted on the substitution, and then we conceded from that situation," he said.
Despite the frustration, McCarthy was encouraged by some of the individual performances from players who were allowed to impress after a demanding domestic season.
"I'm happy with some of the players that we saw. It's been a long season, and some players were not involved today, so we have more options to look at," he added.
The former Manchester United striker revealed that Kenya will field a significantly different side when the two teams meet again on Sunday. With both teams now familiar with each other, McCarthy expects an improved display from Harambee Stars in the second encounter.
"We know each other now from the first game, so in the second match we'll have a completely different team against them. Hopefully, we can do a bit better than what we did today."
McCarthy admitted that the performance highlighted several areas that still require attention before Kenya's upcoming competitive fixtures.
"From what I saw, we've got plenty to improve on."
The draw extended McCarthy's unbeaten run as Harambee Stars coach, but Sunday's rematch against Lesotho will offer another opportunity for Kenya to sharpen their preparations and address the shortcomings identified from the first meeting.
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