Stars fall in Bissau to sink to bottom of Group E

Harambee Stars sunk to the bottom of Group E of their 2017 AFCON qualifying after going down 1-0 to hosts Guinea Bissau at the September 24 Stadium on Wednesday to leave their dreams of featuring in the Gabon finals in tatters.

It was a nightmare start to the reign of Stanley Okumbi as first coach on an evening he made history as the first national team boss to field two second-tier players in his playing unit having been appointed last month by new Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president, Nick Mwendwa when Cisero’s 19th minute goal sunk his team.

Okumbi,  elected to hand a first cap to Kariobangi Sharks midfielder, Patillah Omoto in his starting XI before bringing on his teammate and striker, Ovela Ochieng in the 76th minute when his side were chasing at least an equaliser or turnaround victory in such a crucial game and will no doubt come in for stinging criticism after Stars were left detached at the basement with only a point.

Zambia and Congo Brazzaville are still joined at the top of the group after playing to a 1-1 draw at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Lusaka to leave the neighbours locked on five points apiece, making Bissau the biggest beneficiaries of the day after they moved to within one of the leaders and reignite their hopes.

The final whistle in Bissau brought the home supporters pouring on to the pitch and they had to be repelled by security to celebrate a victory that left the soft-spoken Okumbi; who’s appointment stoked controversy, staring at a bleak few days.

Having coached Sharks when Mwendwa was chairman before the federation chief was forced to relinquish the post when he won the football elections, the first coach put his reputation on the line by naming the two National Super League players in his final travelling squad and then, having the bravely to play them.

With both teams locked at a point each at kick-off, the hosts got off to the better start, forcing defender David Owino to scramble the ball away as they bore down Arnold Origi’s goal in the third minute.

Belgium based midfielder, Johanna Omollo then conceded a needless free-kick by fouling Emmanuel Gomes to get a ticking off from the referee before the same player sprinted the length of the right flank to deliver the ball to Guinea’s box but there were no takers.

In the 16th, Stars goal survived an overhead kick before the hosts went ahead through a powerful header from a delivery sent from the right after a 1-2 sold James Situma before Cisero beat Origi when Musa Mohammed opted to challenge for the ball with his feet instead of jumping with the attacker.

Kenya attempted to fashion an immediate response, with Clifton Miheso connecting with Omollo’s cross but his header towards goal was tame and wasteful in the 22nd.

Stars came even closer when captain Victor Wanyama, who joined the team on matchday after his flight was delayed, played the 1-2 with Omollo before the latter’s shot with venom from the right that forced keeper Jonas Mendes to scoop the ball out a couple of minutes later.

Mohammed who was living dangerously at left back from his more accustomed role in central defence was then booked for a hard tackle on Picket Djassi.

Stars last meaningful chance saw their captain fire wide on the stroke of half-time.

Okumbi brought on Jesse Were and Teddy Akumu for Omollo and the ineffectual Omoto who was clearly overawed by the occasion in the early stages of the second half.

After Nanisio Soares fired wide for the hosts and a dangerous run from Emmanuel was stopped by Mohammed ten minutes after the breather, Owino went to the book and Soares then wasted the promising free-kick for the home side.

Okumbi’s changes however, seemed to give his side a lift as Stars started to press for an equaliser with Akumu rising highest in the 62nd to direct a header straight at Mendes.

Wanyama then threated through a promising ball that failed to find the isolated Michael Olunga upfront, with the Sweden based forward suffering from lack of service from his midfield that saw him carry through the hour largely a spectator before being forced to operate from the right flank.

The second Sharks player, forward Ochieng came on for his first cap a quarter of the game to go as Okumbi threw his last throw of the dice when his team’s mini-revival dissipated.

The hosts made only one substitution when Sanchez came off and managed to hold on to their slim advantage with a tinge of time wasting but Wanyama almost punished them for not extending their lead with the barrage of promising free-kicks they forced to earn his team a share of the spoils.

A long ball to the box was only half cleared and Wanyama pounced on it, bringing it down before swiveling inside the box and unleashing a ferocious shot that forced Mendes to a flying save. Either side of the keeper and the ball would have surely bulged the net, such as the thin margins in football.

Stars however, have an immediate chance to atone for the loss when they welcome Bissau to Nairobi’s Nyayo National Stadium on Sunday where victory and at least another stalemate between Congo and Zambia will open the qualification door wide open.

Defeat will extinguish any lingering hopes of making a first AFCON final since 2004 and will no doubt crank up the volume against Mwendwa’s self-styled ‘Team Change’ since thus far, the more things change for Stars, the more things are appearing to be the same.