AFCON Qualifiers: Benni McCarthy Issues Strong Warning to Bafana Bafana Ahead of Harambee Stars Tie
- Benni McCarthy confirmed his loyalty lies firmly with Kenya ahead of two crucial AFCON qualifying fixtures against South Africa in November
- The Harambee Stars' head coach will go head-to-head with former mentor Pitso Mosimane, who now leads Bafana Bafana
- Before facing South Africa, Kenya must first play Eritrea and Guinea as part of their qualifying campaign despite being one of the hosts
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Benni McCarthy has made his position clear: when Kenya's Harambee Stars take on South Africa in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers this November, his allegiance will be with the country that gave him his coaching opportunity.
The former Bafana Bafana striker is preparing for one of the more unusual match-ups of his career, as the qualifiers will see him pit himself against both his home nation and his former mentor, Pitso Mosimane, who is currently in charge of South Africa.
McCarthy explained that his commitment to Kenya stems from a straightforward professional reality. South Africa did not come calling when he was available as a coach, while Kenya stepped forward and entrusted him with the Harambee Stars. That faith, he argued, demands reciprocal loyalty when the two nations meet on the pitch.
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“My country didn’t employ me,” the former Manchester United assistant coach said.
“So why is my loyalty not with the country I was born in? The loyalty is to the team that believed in me, that gave me the opportunity, that thought I was the one that can help them move forward in the right direction. That’s where my loyalty lies.”
McCarthy acknowledges Bafana's advantage
The former striker has not underestimated the scale of the task ahead. He pointed to South Africa's standing on the continent, noting that Bafana Bafana are consistently grouped alongside Africa's elite nations, including Morocco and Senegal, during qualification draws. Kenya, he noted, has historically occupied lower seedings, which has made their path through major competitions considerably harder.
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Despite the gap in stature between the two sides, McCarthy expressed confidence that Kenya have developed the resilience needed to be competitive.
He cited the team's performances during the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) and their World Cup qualifying campaign as evidence of genuine progress. The Harambee Stars faced quality opposition in those fixtures, including Ivory Coast and Gabon, and also dealt with difficult away conditions in Burundi.
McCarthy also highlighted Kenya's ability to produce results against higher-ranked opponents, pointing to victories over Morocco and the Democratic Republic of Congo at CHAN 2024 as proof that the team is capable of rising to the occasion.
Kenya's road to the November showdown
Before attention turns fully to the South Africa fixtures, Kenya have immediate qualifying business to attend to. The Harambee Stars are scheduled to face Eritrea on Saturday, followed by Guinea the following Wednesday.
The first meeting with Bafana Bafana is set for 11 November in South Africa, with the return fixture taking place in Nairobi on 15 November. The two-legged tie will give McCarthy back-to-back opportunities to test himself against the nation where he built his legacy as a player.
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Source: Briefly News
