Mauritius beat Kenya as four-nation tourney ends
Moses Shumah (left) vies for the ball with Amos Nondi during Harambee Stars' training session at Safaricom Foundation in Thika on June 9, 2023 ahead of their upcoming four-nation tournament in Mauritius. Wilfred Nyangaresi | Nation Media Group
What you need to know:
- Before Sunday's match, the recent meeting between Kenya and Mauritius was a two-leg 2018 World Cup qualifier in 2015.
- In the first leg, Kenya thrashed Mauritius 5-2 away, while the second leg ended in a barren draw at MISC Kasarani.
Harambee Stars Sunday fell 1-0 to hosts Mauritius in the final match of the Four Nations Tournament staged at a fully packed Cote D’Or National Complex in the capital Port Louis.
Midfielder Kengy Saramandif netted the lone goal in the 22nd minute after the Kenyan defence failed to clear a corner by Kevin Bru.
This was the first defeat the Indian Ocean island nation was inflicting on Kenya in their past seven meetings.
Mauritius is ranked at position 180, while Kenya is at position 102 in the Fifa rankings. Mauritius were the better side, while Kenya found it hard to penetrate teh hosts' defence and were wasteful in attack.
Mauritius President Prithiviraj Roopun, Sports Minister Stephan Toussaint and the country’s Football Association leaders Mustapha Chitbahal and Mario Thomas were also present.
Stars won 1-0 against Pakistan, which is ranked 195, in its first match of the tournament on Wednesday at the same venue. Pakistan and Djibouti were the other participants in the tournament.
Harambee Stars were supposed to play Djibouti in the first match last week on Sunday, but the game was cancelled as Kenya arrived in Mauritius on Monday due to what the Football Kenya Federation said was lack of flights and other logistic challenges.
Before Sunday’s win against Kenya, Mauritius had beaten Pakistan 3-0 on June 11, but lost to Djibouti 3-1 in its second match on June 14.
Stars' Turkish coach Engin Firat made three changes in the starting lineup which beat Pakistan. Gor Mahia striker Benson Omala, Kenya Police winger Clifton Miheso and AFC Leopards Midfielder Victor Omune started against Mauritius.
Kakamega Homeboyz striker Moses Shumah, who netted the lone goal against Pakistan dropped to the bench, and was introduced in the second half.
Tusker’s Daniel Sakari and experienced defender Aboud Omar also started from the bench.
Shumah, 19, almost saved Stars from defeat in the 66th minute, but his glancing header missed the target by inches.
Before Sunday's match, the recent meeting between Kenya and Mauritius was a two-leg 2018 World Cup qualifier in 2015.
In the first leg, Kenya thrashed Mauritius 5-2 away, while the second leg ended in a barren draw at MISC Kasarani.
