EXCLUSIVE: Luc Eymael says Engin Firat gave too much respect to Ivory Coast in Kenya draw

Kenya came up against the Elephants and African champions in their matchday four fixture of Group F at the Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe, Malawi on Tuesday, June 11th, and the game ended in a 0-0 draw.

It was a second straight draw for Harambee Stars having three days earlier conceded late allowing Burundi to snatch away a vital point in a 1-1 result. On the other hand, Ivory Coast, who were crowned 2023 AFCON champions after beating Nigeria 2-1 in the final, came into the game having beaten Gabon 1-0.

With injuries rocking the Harambee Stars camp, Firat was forced to make five changes from the team that faced the Swallows. The most surprising of all saw Alphonse Omija, who plays for Dhofar FC Oman, start his first game for Kenya, while Clifton Miheso dropped to the bench.

Kenya dominated the fixture against Ivory Coast, especially in the opening exchanges of the first half, but could not get a breakthrough. Striker and captain Michael Olunga was the main culprit missing a host of chances while Gor Mahia star Rooney Onyango squandered another opportunity.

Firat's respect for Ivory Coast denies Kenya famous win

According to Eymael, who coached Kenya’s AFC Leopards in 2013 and helped them secure a CAF Confederation Cup slot in 2014, Harambee Stars deserved maximum points from the contest in Malawi but instead, put focus on what their opponents had achieved before ending up with a draw.

“The coach (Firat) perhaps feared Ivory Coast because they won the AFCON but if you compare the Ivory Coast that played today (Tuesday) and the Ivory Coast that won the AFCON it is not the same team and looks like they are rebuilding the team,” Eymael told Flashscore in an exclusive interview.

“Kenya has a pool of talented players, and it is a matter of coaching vision that lacked in the game, they should have played the game not thinking of what Ivory Coast had achieved before, most of the players, who won Ivory Coast the AFCON were not even in the squad.

“The fear factor was there for everyone to see, it is rare for a team to dominate a game like Kenya did but then come out with only a point, the players did well, and they played according to the coaches’ plans but the respect they gave to Ivory Coast denied them a famous win.”

The Belgian, who currently handles Aigles du Congo in the Democratic Republic of Congo, explained Kenya’s dominance was there for everyone to see because they were the most aggressive side in both halves.

“Kenya created a lot more chances than Ivory Coast and they should have scored two or three goals but unfortunately they didn’t score, and it allowed Ivory Coast to try come back into the game and created two big chances, but before that Ivory Coast were not dangerous, only in free-kicks and corners,” added Eymael.

Asked whether a draw was a fair result, Eymael responded: “It was a fair result because Kenya had many chances but also Ivory Coast hit the crossbar and missed big chances in the box, and kept complaining about the state of the pitch, a situation that could not help them.”

Eymael questions Olunga’s lone striker role

For the second game in a row, Firat opted to start Olunga, who features for Al Duhail SC in the Qatar Stars League as the lone striker despite having supportive players John Avire of Egyptian club Misr El Makasa and Gor Mahia's Benson Omalla on the bench.

Eymael insisted Firat should have changed his tact, especially in the second half, by bringing another striker to play alongside Olunga, who has scored two goals in the qualifiers against Seychelles.

“I don’t want to criticise the coach because I don’t know exactly what happened during the training session, I don’t know the fitness of the players {whom he had on the bench) but for me he was playing like a 4-1-4-1 system with one striker upfront,” offered Eymael.

“In the 4-1-4-1 system of play he should have had better ammunition to get more support from the second line but it was lacking; instead, he should have looked for a solution, especially in the second half, and tried a second striker to see if he could have chipped in to help Olunga.”

Eymael added: “You could say it was a mistake (to start one striker) but he could have used a second striker earlier and perhaps that is my thinking that he did show more, or too much respect for Ivory Coast.”

Eymael further pointed out the unstableness of goalkeeper Patrick Matasi especially when Ivory Coast were converting their set-pieces. “Ivory Coast were very dangerous on set pieces and I didn’t see goalkeeper Patrick (Matasi) comfortable when they took their corners, he had a good game, he had a fantastic save in the first half but on the corners, he looked shaky, and unstable,” explained Eymael.

On comparing the Harambee Stars of when he was the coach at AFC Leopards and the current squad, Eymael said: “It is not easy to compare the past and the current team, the Kenyan league is not like it used to be before, it remains difficult to criticise or to give objective opinion on the level of current players and the past players but I think guys like former strikers Dennis (Oliech) and Allan (Wanga) are being missed in Kenya.”

Eymael, who has coached Polokwane City, Black Leopards, Free State Stars in South Africa, and Rayon Sports of Rwanda concluded: “The way of playing depends on the vision of the coach, you cannot play the same way you can play against Ivory Coast or how you face Eswatini for example, it is a matter of keeping your vision of playing intact and it is difficult to compare the past and current team.”

What next for Harambee Stars?

The draw dented Kenya’s chances of qualifying for their first-ever World Cup as they dropped from third to fourth position in the six-team group with five points, five fewer than leaders the Elephants.

Burundi, who hammered Seychelles 3-0 courtesy of goals from Abdallah Sudi, and Bienvenue Kanakimana, who grabbed a brace, moved above Kenya to occupy the third spot with seven points.

Meanwhile, Gabon cemented their second spot with nine points following a 3-2 comeback victory against a hard-fighting Gambia side. Despite Gabon playing at home, the Gambia took a deserved lead through Yankuba Minteh but Jim Allevinah put the Panthers level. Goals from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who was booked in the game, and Denis Bouanga ensured Gabon carried the day, to register their third win.

The defeat saw the Scorpions remain fifth with three points while the Pirates stayed last in the group without a single point.

Kenya’s next qualifier will see them face the Gambia away on March 17th, 2025, before they host Gabon on March 24th.

Kenya starting XI: Patrick Matasi, Alphonse Omija, Daniel Anyembe, Johnstone Omurwa, Aboud Omar, Anthony Akumu, Richard Odada, Timothy Ouma, Rooney Onyango, Kenneth Muguna, Michael Olunga.

Ivory Coast XI: Fofana Yahia, Ndicka Obite Evan, Singo Wilfried, Konan Ghislain, Boly Willy, Kessie Franck, Fofana Seko, Adingra Simon, Latte Lath Junior, Boga Jérémie, Amani Lazare.