Going into the matchday three fixture sitting second in Group J, Harambee Stars under head coach Engin Firat needed a positive result to keep alive their hopes of qualifying for a seventh appearance at the 35th edition of the biennial African football tournament organised by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
The 2025 edition will be hosted by Morocco for the second time and the first since 1988 from December 21st 2025 to the 18th of January 2026 with a total of 24 teams set to battle it out for the trophy currently being held by Ivory Coast.
Coach Firat moved to make changes to Kenya’s squad that had beaten Namibia 2-1 in their matchday two fixture at Orlando Stadium in South Africa, with Bandari FC goalkeeper Bryne Omondi among the casualties, as he dropped to pave the way for Patrick Matasi, who stood between the sticks.
Another player who was overlooked is defender Joseph Okumu, who plays for Reims in French Ligue 1 and captained the side against Zimbabwe and Namibia in the absence of lead striker Michael Olunga, who was out owing to a thigh injury.
In Okumu’s absence, the Turkish tactician preferred Amos Mondi, Daniel Anyembe, Sylvester Owino and Erick Otieno to play the defensive role, while Anthony Akumu, Richard Odada and Timothy Ouma marshalled the midfield. The defensive duties saw Olunga return to the fold and he played alongside Rooney Onyango and Duke Abuya, who scored in the victory against the Brave Warriors.
Meanwhile, Cameroon coach Marc Brys fielded a star-studded squad with striker Manchester United custodian Andre Onana leading from the back while Christian Bassogog, Frank Anguissa, Martin Hongla, Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo and Vincent Aboubakar were the other notable big names.
In the fixture at Japoma Stadium, it was Super Lig club Hatayspor striker Aboubakar, who opened the floodgates when he found the back of the net with only five minutes played. Hongla, who plays for Segunda Division club Granada, then doubled the Indomitable Lions tally in the 39th minute.
Olunga gave Kenya a lifeline when he reduced the deficit in the 41st minute following a cross from the overlapping Erick Ouma but Harambee Stars’ celebrations were short-lived after Mbeumo stretched the Indomitable Lions’ lead, off a cross from Bassogog in the 43rd minute for a 3-1 lead at the half-time.
Kenya coach Firat introduced Okumu for Amos Nondi at the start of the second half in a bid to stop Cameroon from adding to their advantage but they could not deny Bassong to inscribe his name in the scoresheet after he finished off a cross from Hongla in the 55th minute.
Kenya deserved the thrashing
According to Onsika, Kenya’s display lacked coordination and creativity hence Cameroon’s huge win which they never broke any sweat to achieve.
“I knew it was going to be a disastrous outing for Kenya because the opening two matches against Zimbabwe and Namibia exposed our weaknesses but again the display against Cameroon went from worse to shambolic, it was zero effort from the boys, they simply got what they asked for,” Onsika told Flashscore.
“The boys passed the ball blindly and had no coordination at all and after I watched the game (against Cameroon), I concluded that we lacked the confidence, creativity and teamwork to trouble the African giants.
"We deserved the thrashing and couldn’t have picked any better result than what we got.”
Onsika, who played for Harambee Stars in the late 1980s and '90s continued: “As much as Cameroon found it easy, winning without breaking a sweat, it was not what they may have anticipated heading to the game.
“At least they expected a difficult game from Kenya (considering our previous meetings with them) but in contrast, Kenya gave them easy goals and they found it comfortable to play and move the ball around as if it was a training session, they achieved the win without putting in any extra effort which was really a poor display from Harambee Stars.”
Onsika summed up Kenya's display in Douala by saying: “Very poor display of football from the first minute to the last. All the players looked scared and tired.
"The entire team was down on agility, concentration was poor, passes not reaching the target, confidence was poor, the entire team was overrun by Cameroon.
”To make matters even worse, goalkeeper Patrick (Matasi) allowed all the goals in without struggle. If we are to qualify for the AFCON (maybe through miracles), we shall meet tougher opponents than Cameroon and it could be a huge shame for Kenya to go and participate with that kind of a display.”
Firat should not have tinkered
Onsika further blamed coach Firat for his decision to change the starting XI saying he should have stuck with the team that had beaten Namibia on matchday two.
“The coach (Firat) gambled with the game, for example, why did he start Matasi instead of Omondi, and why did he start with two right backs (Nondi and Anyembe) and dropped experienced Okumu to the bench?
"The starting XI was wanting and it is very rare for a serious coach to change a winning team,” explained Onsika.
He added: “The coach failed us, having good players at his disposable yet missing to field them and benching others was a very big gamble”
On Matasi’s mistakes that allowed Cameroon to score, Onsika said: “Matasi is a good goalkeeper, however, he didn’t represent the country well against Cameroon. In fact, Firat should take the blame.
"We were playing with 10 men, we were playing without a goalkeeper. In my opinion, it’s high time Matasi is dropped from the national team.
“I think players who do the things that Matasi is doing continuously should not be allowed in the national team. This is not the first time he’s doing that, we have seen him cost the team before, he concedes easy goals, those silly mistakes cannot even be done by a high school goalkeeper, those mistakes didn’t look natural and sometimes he (Matasi) leaves people questioning if he is ready for the position, or he has other ideas.”
Meanwhile, former FKF official Noordin Taib said: “The bitter truth is we shall never make it with that type of selection and play.
“Our midfield was completely lost, the distribution of the balls from the wings was very poor, so there was no connection between attacking midfielders and wingers.”
Taib continued: “We simply lost because of a poor tactical approach to the game. You don’t change a winning team, and again Matasi should be rested, he was another weak link allowing Cameroon to score the goals.”
Ouma picked out for praise
Onsika, however, took positives from the game, picking out defender Erick Ouma for praise saying he was the best player for Harambee Stars in the game.
“We lost the game… yes, but I choose to see something positive from the game, Eric Ouma (Marcelo) is good… defensively and offensively the player is superb… I wish every player could give everything like he does whenever he gets an opportunity,” stated Onsika.
Kenya’s defeat saw them drop to third in the group with Zimbabwe, who secured a hard-fought 1-0 against Namibia, moving above them to occupy the second spot, which is automatic for qualification on five points while Cameroon ascended to the top with seven points.
According to Onsika, Kenya’s chances of qualifying will now depend on how they play against Zimbabwe and Namibia in the last two qualifiers.
“If they must qualify Kenya will need a win against Zimbabwe and Namibia, they must beat Zimbabwe and Namibia and hope Cameroon beats Zimbabwe to take second place,” said Onsika.
“It looks like Cameroon will run away with the top spot, so what is remaining is the second spot which Zimbabwe seem to be fighting for, so it will be a great end to the group.”
The former Kisumu Posta player called on coach Firat to put his house in order as they prepare to face Cameroon in their matchday four fixture at Nelson Mandela Stadium in Uganda on Monday, October 14th.
“First, coach Firat must put his house in order, close all the loopholes, avoid penalty-causing mistakes, use aerial balls and speed, and score more goals early, to avoid the scenario of what happened in the 4-1 thrashing,” added Onsika.
“Firat should, by all means, avoid playing Cameroon style of game, make sure the defence is watertight, he should make sure the players he left on the bench get to start and if possible keep Matasi on the bench, he should also try as much as possible to use the wingers, as this will provide scoring opportunities for Olunga and company,” he concluded.
While Kenya is playing Cameroon, attention will be on the game between Zimbabwe and Namibia at Orlando Stadium in South Africa, on Monday, October 14th.
