Harambee Stars Beat Mozambique 2-1 in AFCON 2027 Warm-Up Friendly

Harambee Stars continued their promising build-up to AFCON 2027 with a 2-1 victory over Mozambique at the Nyayo National Stadium on Wednesday evening. Goals from Michael Olunga and Richard Odada secured the win in front of 22,000 enthusiastic fans, though a late consolation goal from the visitors exposed defensive vulnerabilities that Benni McCarthy will need to address.

Olunga opens the scoring

Michael Olunga gave Kenya the lead in the 23rd minute with a trademark header from Eric Ouma's pinpoint cross. The Al-Duhail striker rose above two defenders to power the ball past the goalkeeper, his 36th international goal. Olunga's aerial ability remains one of Kenya's greatest weapons, and his movement to find space in the box was a reminder of why he is the most important player in this squad.

Odada's long-range strike

Richard Odada doubled the lead in the 52nd minute with a spectacular long-range effort from 25 yards that flew into the top corner. The Red Star Belgrade midfielder has added goals to his game this season, and this strike was arguably the best of his international career. McCarthy's decision to give Odada licence to drive forward from midfield is paying dividends, and the 25-year-old is growing into one of the most complete midfielders in African football.

Defensive concerns

Mozambique pulled a goal back in the 78th minute when a lapse in concentration allowed their substitute striker to head home from a corner. It was the fifth goal Kenya have conceded from set pieces in their last seven matches — a worrying pattern that opposing coaches at AFCON will certainly look to exploit. McCarthy acknowledged the issue in his post-match press conference, noting that set-piece defending will be a focus of the next training camp.

Squad rotation

McCarthy used the friendly to give minutes to several fringe players, making seven substitutions in the second half. Goalkeeper Joseph Okoth earned his third cap and looked composed, midfielder Duke Abuya showed his energy in a 30-minute cameo, and young forward Benson Omala came off the bench to trouble the Mozambique defence with his pace. The depth of the squad is encouraging, though the drop in quality between the first-choice XI and the substitutes remains a concern.

Road to AFCON

Kenya have now won four of their six friendlies in the 2026 calendar year, drawing one and losing one. The next test comes against Morocco in Casablanca on 8 June — a significantly tougher opponent that will provide a better gauge of Kenya's readiness. With AFCON 2027 now just over a year away, every match is an opportunity for McCarthy to refine his system and identify his best 26-man squad. Wednesday's result was positive, but the real tests are still ahead.