McCarthy credits Kenya aerial strength and physicality for frustrating Bafana

Kenya played a 2-2 draw with South Africa in a 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier played at Orlando Stadium last night. 

The Harambee Stars, even from the first half, were always dominant in aerial balls, and their late goal from Ryan Ogam showed the physical strength they had. Something McCarthy says they worked on.

"I think sometimes you gotta assess the game and when you know what your opponents have just natural talent in abundance and the strength that they have, you gotta also try and how you can counter that,” McCarthy said.

“When you look at the pitch, we were much bigger and a much more physical and a much stronger team and the opening minutes of the game, we didn't show that. I don't know if the players dealt okay with the altitude because you could see we were a bit lethargic and a bit sluggish in the first 15, 20 minutes of the game but afterwards we started playing. 

“I just said to use our advantage and that was the aerial ball because we had Olunga who's six foot nine. We had the two centre backs and then we had Amos Wanjala, that's also a decent size. 

“We had a numerical advantage height wise compared to South Africa, so, I just said to use a little bit more when we get setpieces, clip it in the air because they only have the two big centre backs, Okon and Makhaya, that ace the level of us and Yaya Sithole. We played to our advantage a little bit with having such big players in the team."

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Ogam played only nine minutes, and he repaid the faith McCarthy has always shown in him. 

During the CHAN tournament held in East Africa, he scored two crucial goals, and McCarthy feels the label is unjustified.

"I don't know where people come with this loyalty thing. It's just a coaching thing, the players have performed, the players have done the job, have done the job for you when you need to call upon the players that you know that you can go to war with that's gonna bail you out of any situation, those are the players that you trust,” the coach explained.

“You go for them and also why would I pick someone that played two or three games in the Kenyan League that just started yesterday, over a player who is plying his trade in Europe and is up against good quality opposition. 

“The math doesn't add up so I don't know where people come with favouritism or what not but for me I select based on who I think is the best for what we need against the opponents that we're facing and that's how I select the squad."