Harambee Stars were held to a 1-1 draw by Lesotho in an international friendly played at Lucas Moripe Stadium in Pretoria, South Africa, on Thursday afternoon.
Benni McCarthy’s side looked set for victory after Frank Odhiambo gave Kenya an early lead, but Thabo Makhele’s second-half equaliser ensured the spoils were shared in the first of two scheduled friendlies.
The match is part of Kenya’s build-up to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers and the 2027 AFCON finals, which the country will co-host with Uganda and Tanzania.
Kenya started brightly and dominated possession in the opening stages. Their pressure paid off in the 17th minute when Frank Odhiambo found the net to give Harambee Stars the lead, a reward for their strong start.
Lesotho responded with an early tactical change, bringing on Toloane for Moloi as they looked to get back into the match. The Southern African side gradually grew into the game and began testing Kenya, especially from set pieces.
As the first half wore on, Lesotho continued to threaten from corners and crosses. Rooney Onyango made a vital defensive intervention in the 40th minute to clear danger from a corner. Three minutes later, Lesotho came close again after another scramble inside the box, but Farouk Shikalo and the Kenyan defence eventually cleared their lines.
Kenya nearly doubled their lead just before halftime when Clark Oduor delivered a dangerous corner into the area. Harambee Stars players attempted to force the ball home, but Lesotho managed to clear, leaving Kenya 1-0 up at the break.
McCarthy made changes at the start of the second half, introducing Will Lenkupae and Chrispine Erambo as he continued to assess his squad. Lenkupae made an immediate impact by winning a free kick in a dangerous position outside the box, but Austin Odhiambo’s effort was blocked by the wall.
Lesotho continued pushing for an equaliser and almost benefited from a mistake in the 64th minute. Goalkeeper Farouk Shikalo rushed out but failed to clear properly, gifting a chance to a Lesotho attacker who, however, fired over with the goal open.
Kenya responded with further substitutions, including Erick Ouma and Caleb Kramer, as McCarthy rotated his squad. Despite this, Lesotho eventually equalised in the 70th minute. A powerful free kick struck the post before falling kindly to Thabo Makhele, who reacted quickly to tap in the rebound and make it 1-1.
Late changes, including the introduction of Alphonce Omija, failed to produce a winner for Kenya, even though they enjoyed spells of possession in the closing stages.
The two sides will meet again on Sunday in Pretoria as both coaches continue preparations for upcoming continental assignments.
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