Kenya secured top spot in Group A of the African Nations Championship (CHAN 2024) with a 1-0 victory over Zambia, maintaining their unbeaten record in the competition.
The Harambee Stars, co-hosting the tournament, entered the match having already qualified for the quarter-finals but were determined to finish strongly.
Against a resilient Zambian side, they showed patience and persistence before finally finding the breakthrough late in the contest.
From the opening whistle, Kenya dictated the tempo, enjoying extended spells of possession and creating multiple opportunities in the first half.
Despite their dominance, they were frustrated in front of goal, as Zambia’s organised defensive structure and committed blocks ensured the game remained goalless at the interval.
The second half followed a similar pattern, with the Harambee Stars intensifying their pressure.
Zambia, already eliminated from the competition, displayed admirable discipline and threatened occasionally on the counter-attack, but Kenya continued to push forward in search of a decisive strike.
The deadlock was eventually broken in the 75th minute when Ryan Ogam, alert and composed inside the box, fired home what proved to be the only goal of the match.
His effort was greeted with loud celebrations from the Kenyan supporters, who had seen their team’s dominance finally rewarded.
Zambia fought hard in the closing stages, but Kenya managed the remainder of the game with maturity, limiting their opponents’ chances and holding firm until the final whistle.
The result leaves Kenya at the top of Group A with 10 points from four matches, edging out Morocco, who finished just behind on nine points after defeating the Democratic Republic of Congo in the group’s other fixture. Zambia, meanwhile, exit the tournament with pride intact despite failing to progress.
This latest victory underlines Kenya’s growing confidence and ambition as they head into the knockout stages.
With their defence yet again holding strong and their attack showing resilience under pressure, the Harambee Stars will approach the quarter-finals as serious contenders for the title.
For co-hosts Kenya, the group stage could not have ended in better fashion: unbeaten, defensively solid, and with momentum firmly on their side.
Their supporters will now look ahead with optimism as the team prepares for the challenges of the latter stages of CHAN 2024.
