Gallant Bright Stars narrowly edged in friendly tie

A battling South Sudan national team was undone by a late goal in Nairobi as Kenya’s Harambee Stars emerged winners of the hotly contested international friendly staged on Saturday 13th March 2021.

The youngest nation in Africa went toe to toe with Kenya from kick-off, matching quality for quality and strength for strength until Bandari midfielder Danson Chetambe conjured a brilliant delivery to Elvis Rupia who buried into the net to make the difference for Kenya.

The goal, scored in the 80th minute left South Sudan with little time to organize a successful fightback as Kenya, under veteran coach Jacob Ghost Mulee shut shop and saw out the game.

The game got off to a sluggish start with little creativity coming from both sides.

Kenya had the ball but Bright Stars were brilliant without it, keeping the hosts at bay and limiting Harambee Stars forward line from creating any dangerous situations. Kenya did, however, manage one dangerous situation twenty five minutes into the game.

Left wingback David Owino took a hurried throw in into the South Sudan box that found debutant John Macharia. A neat flick from the Gor Mahia man set up Rupia who made a smart turn but the Ingwe foward blasted his effort over the bar.

Bright Stars coach Cyprian Besong Ashu made tactical change soon after Kenya troubled his backline, introducing Dominic Angelo for Jackson Obede.

Four minutes to the end of the first half Danson Chetambe came close to giving Kenya the lead but his thunderbolt from outside the box just narrowly went past Sudan’s goalpost.

With no attempt on target in the first half from either side, the game boringly stretched to the half way interval with the score board reading 0-0.

Mulee sought for fresh impetus at the resumption of the second half as he brought on captain Kenneth Muguna and Kevin Kimani in place of Collins Shichenje and Boniface Onyango.

That introduction sparked a bit of creativity as Muguna particularly threaded impressive through balls to the Kenyan forwards. South Sudan were still resolute in their defense, limiting Kenya to only half chances.

Abdallah Hassan missed a free header in the 70th minute after Baraki Badi found him with a pin point cross but the Bandari man’s header was wide off target.

Harambee Stars made four more changes and exerted more control of the game in the remaining quarter.

The increased tempo would tellingly pay off in the 80th minute. Substitute Daniel Sakari lofted a through ball to Daniel Chetambe that beat Sudan’s left backline.

Without any pressure on him, Chetambe squared a pinpoint cross that found the in-form striker all alone in the box for an easy conversion to give Harambee Stars a 1-0 lead. In the end,that goal was all Kenya needed to start their friendly matches with a win.