Kenya registered a narrow 1-0 victory over two-time tournament winners Morocco in their third Group A fixture in Nairobi on Sunday, putting them in a strong position to advance to the knockout stage with seven points at the top of the five-team standings.

However, what stole the spotlight after the match was that the co-hosts put up another impressive display with 10 men for a second game running, with McCarthy crediting his own history of getting the job done under Jose Mourinho during his days at FC Porto.

"I have learned the tricks from Jose Mourinho, who was a master at setting teams up defensively. As a man who has played in a ten-man team before, believe me when I say, it is hell, but we used to manage the situation perfectly, like it was an everyday occurrence.

"The most important thing is to protect your goals, and that is what we did," said the former Porto striker.

READ: Bafana Bafana aim to sink wounded Guinea in CHAN group

Chrispine Erambo was sent off for Kenya in the first half after an attempted clearance saw him miss the ball and kick the opponent.

The former Manchester United striker coach praised his charges for their tactical discipline after the red card.

The post-match stats painted a contrasting picture of the final result, with the Moroccans controlling no less than 75 percent of the ball, while dominating in passes, chance creation, and corners, but McCarthy insisted Kenya deserved the three points.

"We deserved the win as much as they had the lion's share of the ball. I said to the players that the team that wants this the most, the team that runs the hardest and puts their body on the line, that is the team that is going to win."

The Moi International Sports Centre was packed for the home side on Sunday, with the coach also dedicating the hard-fought victory to the Kenyan supporters who played their part as the 12th man.

"I'm proud of the players for leaving everything out on the field, not just for themselves, but for the incredible supporters in the stadium."

INJURY NEWS

Shoulder problem forces Novak Djokovic out of Miami Open

Holger Rune faces long road to recovery after tearing Achilles tendon

Editors Pick